Ocean County, New Jersey
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 34029 · population 636,993 · 628 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 2,279 records for Ocean County, New Jersey from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 1,111 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (437 records). 1,486 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. NOAA records 263 flood or flash floods there since 1996, with 2 deaths; its 52,884 flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA) rank 6th of 2,942 U.S. counties; the deadliest named storm on its flood record is Hurricane Sandy (2012). The deadliest day on its record was October 29, 2012: coastal flood and high wind records filed for Ocean County that day count 5 deaths across 2 records. FEMA has issued 33 declarations naming the county since 1965, 30 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Jones Road Fire” on April 24, 2025.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 2,279on 1,111 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 44368 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $13.7Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 20strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 33latest 2025
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Ocean County most?
The most frequent records are high wind and dust records: 437 since 1996. The rank column places the county among New Jersey's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | 437 | 232 | 1996-2025 | 4 | 1 | $661M | 12 of 20 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 408 | 201 | 1958-2026 | 1 | 26 | $1.7M | 19 of 20 |
| Winter storms | 342 | 192 | 1996-2026 | 5 | 130 | $11M | 19 of 20 |
| Floods | 263 | 187 | 1996-2025 | 2 | 0 | $13.0B | 12 of 20 |
| Heat | 159 | 108 | 1996-2026 | 3 | 124 | – | 11 of 20 |
| Heavy rain | 91 | 59 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 2 | $802K | 18 of 20 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 89 | 82 | 1996-2025 | 20 | 23 | $51M | 3 of 20 |
| Hail | 89 | 59 | 1966-2024 | 0 | 0 | $8K | 13 of 20 |
| Drought | 87 | 44 | 1997-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 of 20 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 79 | 45 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 20 |
| Lightning | 78 | 63 | 1997-2025 | 5 | 39 | $2.6M | 7 of 20 |
| Extreme cold | 59 | 33 | 1996-2022 | 1 | 0 | – | 15 of 20 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 50 | 36 | 1996-2020 | 3 | 2 | $9.6M | 7 of 20 |
| Wildfires | 28 | 27 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 7 | $2.2M | 3 of 20 |
| Tornadoes | 20 | 17 | 1958-2023 | 0 | 14 | $31M | 9 of 20 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Ocean County had?
NOAA records 20 tornadoes in Ocean County from 1958 to 2023, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 14 injuries recorded in the county. That is 9th of 20 New Jersey counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 20 tornadoes whose track touched Ocean County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 20, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983-07-21 19:30, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 0.2 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in New Jersey.
Every tornado record filed for Ocean County (20)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-04-01 | Hyson, Ocean County | EF2 1.4 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-04-01 | Holmeson, Ocean County | EF2 2.1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-07-29 | Archers Corner, Ocean County | EF0 0.76 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-07-29 | Cedar Bridge, Ocean County | EF1 6.31 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-07-29 | Barnegat, Ocean County | EF2 4.2 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 8 | – |
| 2021-07-09 | Tuckerton, Ocean County | EF0 0.27 mi x 110 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-08-04 | Brant Beach, Ocean County | EF1 3.32 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-04-21 | Chadwick, Ocean County | EF0 0.41 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2013-08-13 | Cedar Run, Ocean County | EF0 3.16 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $317K |
| 2010-09-16 | New Egypt, Ocean County | EF1 2.23 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $34K |
| 1999-08-20 | Beach Haven, Ocean County | F2 0.4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $7.4M |
| 1995-10-21 | Forked River, Ocean County | F0 0.2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-11-20 | Ocean County | F0 0.5 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1988-08-17 | Ocean County | F0 0.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1983-07-21 | Ocean County | F3 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1982-06-29 | Ocean County | F2 1.5 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1974-07-24 | Ocean County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1964-03-10 | Ocean County | F1 16.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 5 | $250K step |
| 1960-07-01 | Ocean County | F1 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1958-06-13 | Ocean County | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Ocean County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the September 2, 2025 rip current (1 death).
Fire departments from multiple municipalities responded to a report of a swimmer in distress at the New York Avenue Beach in Lavallette. The individual was found partially submerged in the ocean about 25 yards from shore. He was taken to a local medical center where he was pronounced dead. Most beaches in the area are unguarded after Labor Day.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1280750)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-12 | Excessive HeatOcean County · forecast zone Western Ocean | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindPleasant Plains, Ocean County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-09 | Dense FogOcean County · forecast zone Western Ocean | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-09 | Dense FogOcean County · forecast zone Eastern Ocean | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindSurf City, Ocean County | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindNew Egypt, Ocean County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindCassville, Ocean County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindLakewood, Ocean County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindHarvey Cedars, Ocean County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindSurf City, Ocean County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-09 | Dense FogOcean County · forecast zone Western Ocean | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-09 | Dense FogOcean County · forecast zone Eastern Ocean | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-07-04 | HeatOcean County · forecast zone Eastern Ocean A very strong and oppressive high pressure system that extended from the surface to aloft gave New Jersey a brutal heat wave that included the entire Independence Day weekend. There were seventeen heat related deaths and around 100 reported heat related injuries. High temperatures reached the 90s for the first time on ... | 3 | 85 | – | |
| 2012-10-29 | High WindOcean County · forecast zone Western Ocean Post Tropical Storm Sandy was the costliest natural disaster by far in the state of New Jersey. Record breaking high tides and wave action combined with sustained winds as high as 60 to 70 mph with wind gusts as high as around 90 mph to batter the state. Statewide, Sandy caused an estimated 29.4 billion dollars in ... | 76 kt wind | 3 | 0 | $643M |
| 2012-10-29 | Coastal FloodOcean County · forecast zone Western Ocean Post Tropical Storm Sandy was the costliest natural disaster by far in the state of New Jersey. Record breaking high tides and wave action combined with sustained winds as high as 60 to 70 mph with wind gusts as high as around 90 mph to batter the state. Statewide, Sandy caused an estimated 29.4 billion dollars in ... | 2 | 0 | $3.2B | |
| 2011-08-27 | Storm Surge/TideOcean County · forecast zone Eastern Ocean Irene produced torrential downpour rains that resulted in major flooding and a number of record breaking crests on area rivers, tropical storm force wind gusts with record breaking outages for New Jersey utilities, one confirmed tornado and a three to five foot storm surge that caused moderate to severe tidal flooding ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2007-03-07 | Winter WeatherOcean County · forecast zone Western Ocean An Alberta Clipper low pressure system dropped light snow across New Jersey during the day on the 7th. Accumulations averaged 1 to 3 inches with some higher amounts in Cape May County. The recent unseasonably cold weather made it easier for the snow to accumulate on roadways and bridges and overpasses during the early ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2014-01-10 | Winter WeatherOcean County · forecast zone Western Ocean A winter weather event dropped snow across northwest New Jersey and the Raritan Valley and a wintry mix that became predominately freezing rain across the rest of central Jersey as well as southwest New Jersey on the 10th. This caused hundreds and hundreds of accidents, a couple of which were fatal, during the morning ... | 1 | 115 | – | |
| 2025-07-16 | LightningJackson, Ocean County There was 1 fatality and 14 injuries reported at an archery range in Jackson Township due to a lightning strike. | 1 | 14 | – | |
| 2007-03-16 | Winter WeatherOcean County · forecast zone Western Ocean A nor'easter caused sleet to fall across the greater Philadelphia Metropolitan Area and the Raritan Basin and heavy snow and sleet to fall across northwestern New Jersey. The nor'easter caused thousands of accidents and six known fatalities. New Jersey State Police responded to over 2,000 calls for assistance. There ... | 1 | 8 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-10-29 | Coastal FloodOcean County · forecast zone Eastern Ocean | 0 | 0 | $9.6B | |
| 2012-10-29 | Coastal FloodOcean County · forecast zone Western Ocean | 2 | 0 | $3.2B | |
| 2012-10-29 | High WindOcean County · forecast zone Western Ocean | 76 kt wind | 3 | 0 | $643M |
| 2009-11-13 | Coastal FloodOcean County · forecast zone Eastern Ocean | 0 | 0 | $54M | |
| 1998-02-04 | Coastal FloodOcean County · forecast zone Eastern Ocean | 0 | 0 | $16M | |
| 2015-10-01 | Strong WindOcean County · forecast zone Eastern Ocean | 49 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $12M |
| 1996-01-07 | Coastal FloodOcean County · forecast zone Eastern Ocean | 0 | 0 | $12M | |
| 1999-09-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, Ocean County | 0 | 0 | $9.7M |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: June 29, 1982 (tornado, Ocean County); July 21, 1983 (tornado, Ocean County); November 20, 1989 (tornado, Ocean County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Ocean County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 53 | 189 | 157 | 38 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 0 | 3 | 36 | 35 | 51 | 115 | 167 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 27 | 121 | 148 | 46 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 34 | 71 | 96 | 62 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 47 | 54 | 36 | 22 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 39 | 19 | 28 | 5 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Ocean County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 271 · Feb 280 · Mar 178 · Apr 120 · May 85 · Jun 257 · Jul 315 · Aug 188 · Sep 125 · Oct 147 · Nov 114 · Dec 199 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Ocean County
FEMA's register lists 33 declarations that include Ocean County: 19 major disasters, 11 emergencies and 3 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (8) and snowstorm (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-04-24 | FM-5581 | Fire | Jones Road Fire |
| 2021-09-05 | DR-4614 | Hurricane | Remnants of Hurricane Ida |
| 2021-09-02 | EM-3573 | Hurricane | Remnants of Hurricane Ida |
| 2021-04-28 | DR-4597 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2020-03-25 | DR-4488 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3451 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016-03-14 | DR-4264 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2012-10-30 | DR-4086 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-10-28 | EM-3354 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011-08-31 | DR-4021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-08-27 | EM-3332 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-02-04 | DR-1954 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2010-04-02 | DR-1897 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2010-02-05 | DR-1873 | Snowstorm | Snowstorm |
| 2009-12-22 | DR-1867 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Ida and A Nor'eas |
| 2007-05-16 | FM-2695 | Fire | Warren Grove Fire |
| 2005-09-19 | EM-3257 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-03-20 | EM-3181 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2002-06-02 | FM-2411 | Fire | Nj - Double Trouble Wildfire - 6/02/02 |
| 2001-09-19 | EM-3169 | Fire | Fires and Explosions |
| 2000-11-01 | EM-3156 | Other | West Nile Virus |
| 1999-09-17 | EM-3148 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Emergency Declarations |
| 1998-03-03 | DR-1206 | Coastal Storm | Severe Winter Coastal Storm, High Winds, Flooding |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1088 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) |
| 1993-03-17 | EM-3106 | Snowstorm | Severe Blizzard |
| 1992-12-18 | DR-973 | Flood | Coastal Storm, High Tides, Heavy Rain, & Flooding |
| 1992-03-03 | DR-936 | Severe Storm | Severe Coastal Storm |
| 1984-04-12 | DR-701 | Flood | Coastal Storms & Flooding |
| 1980-10-19 | EM-3083 | Drought | Water Shortage |
| 1977-02-08 | DR-528 | Severe Ice Storm | Ice Conditions |
| 1976-08-21 | DR-519 | Flood | Severe Storms, High Winds & Flooding |
| 1971-09-04 | DR-310 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
| 1965-08-18 | DR-205 | Drought | Water Shortage |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Ocean County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 263 flood or flash flood records for Ocean County from 1996 to 2025, on 187 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Ocean County ranks 6th of 2,942 U.S. counties. The 100 counties with the most claims
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Sandy | 2012-10-28 | 3 | 2 |
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-27 | 4 | 2 |
| Hurricane Katrina | 2005-09-07 | 1 | 1 |
| Tropical Depression Ida | 2009-11-13 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-16 | 2 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $2.6 billion on 52,884 claims filed in Ocean County; the most in one year was 37,797 in 2012. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 100 · 1979: 140 · 1980: 131 · 1981: 14 · 1982: 39 · 1983: 32 · 1984: 962 · 1985: 413 · 1986: 31 · 1987: 99 · 1988: 8 · 1989: 77 · 1990: 17 · 1991: 887 · 1992: 6,929 · 1993: 285 · 1994: 97 · 1995: 80 · 1996: 155 · 1997: 316 · 1998: 387 · 1999: 102 · 2000: 124 · 2001: 53 · 2002: 54 · 2003: 113 · 2004: 29 · 2005: 380 · 2006: 407 · 2007: 70 · 2008: 59 · 2009: 161 · 2010: 306 · 2011: 1,156 · 2012: 37,797 · 2013: 64 · 2014: 144 · 2015: 27 · 2016: 71 · 2017: 54 · 2018: 63 · 2019: 38 · 2020: 29 · 2021: 113 · 2022: 68 · 2023: 32 · 2024: 87 · 2025: 71 · 2026: 13.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Ocean County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Ocean County Relatively High overall, with an expected annual loss of $204 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Very High | $39M | 4.4 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Very High | $2.2M | 9.4 a year (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Very High | $19M | 3.6 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Very High | $2.8M | 30 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | $100M | 3.4 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $1.4M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | $13M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $7.2M | about once a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Ocean County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in New JerseyEvery New Jersey tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- High wind and dust storms in New JerseyThe state's high wind and dust records, by county, year and month
- The New Jersey recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Ocean CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Ocean County's FEMA declarations (CSV)33 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis