New Jersey floods
Every recorded flood since 1996 · 21 counties with a record
NOAA's Storm Events Database records 3,787 floods and flash floods in New Jersey from 1996 through June 30, 2026, about 129 a year since 2000. The deadliest was Hurricane Ida (September 1, 2021): 29 deaths, 7 injuries and $254 million in damage in 2025 dollars across 17 records. New Jersey ranks 21st of 52 states and territories by count and 2nd of 51 per square mile.
Floods in New Jersey, 1996 to 2026
Flood records per year (NOAA Storm Events); 2026 to June 30, 2026.
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $1 million
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- Records
- 3,7871996 to June 30, 2026
- A year since 2000
- 129average
- Deaths
- 61205 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $24.2Bas filed
- Busiest year
- 2021272 records
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; deaths and damage as filed, damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
Are floods and flash floods common in New Jersey?
New Jersey averages about 129 floods and flash floods a year since 2000, 21st of 52 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2021 (272). Per 10,000 square miles of land, New Jersey records 5149 floods and flash floods since 1996, 2nd of 51 states and territories by that measure.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1996, per 10,000 square miles of land area (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer; places under 1,000 square miles not ranked). Damage colours: Storm Events damage, 2025 dollars.
Which counties in New Jersey have the most floods and flash floods?
Per square mile, Union County leads New Jersey: 110 days with a flood since 1996, 1070.4 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Bergen County has the most flood records (391 since 1996); large counties collect more records simply by covering more ground, so the ranking counts days with a record per unit of area (a storm filed for several forecast zones adds several records but one day).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, days with a record in the county since 1996 per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer); in brackets, the count of records.
When is flood season in New Jersey?
New Jersey's floods and flash floods by month. The busiest month is July (650 records).
The values, month by month
Jan 211 · Feb 126 · Mar 251 · Apr 239 · May 198 · Jun 341 · Jul 650 · Aug 622 · Sep 419 · Oct 351 · Nov 124 · Dec 255 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began, since 1996.
What were the deadliest floods and flash floods in New Jersey?
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-09-01 | Hurricane Ida · Flash FloodRiegel Ridge, Hunterdon County One named storm filed by several offices: 17 records in 2 episodes; the totals are the storm's. Post Tropical Cyclone Ida brought heavy rain to New Jersey on September 1. Rainfall totals were as high as 5 to 10 inches. The heavy rain caused significant flash flooding, mainly in the northern half of the state. It resulted in widespread property damage. There were several fatalities. | 29 | 7 | $254M | |
| 2012-10-29 | Hurricane Sandy · Coastal FloodOcean County · forecast zone Western Ocean One named storm filed by several offices: 18 records in 2 episodes, 2012-10-29 to 2012-10-30; the totals are the storm's. 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 ... | 7 | 0 | $20.5B | |
| 2011-08-28 | Hurricane Irene · FloodHopewell, Mercer County One named storm filed by several offices: 23 records in 3 episodes, 2011-08-28 to 2011-09-08; the totals are the storm's. 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 ... | 7 | 0 | $1.0B | |
| 1999-09-16 | Hurricane Floyd · Flash FloodCountywide, Somerset County One named storm filed by several offices: 18 records in 2 episodes; the totals are the storm's. Hurricane Floyd battered New Jersey (especially the central and northern thirds) on September 16th and brought with it torrential and in some areas, unprecedented and record breaking rains and damaging winds. The hurricane will go down in history as the greatest natural disaster to ever effect the state of New Jersey ... | 6 | 186 | $954M | |
| 2007-04-15 | FloodEsx Co Airport Cal, Essex County One storm episode: 6 records in 5 places; the totals are the episode's. A Nor – Easter occurred during Sunday and Monday, April 15th and 16th. It brought heavy rain that caused widespread and significant river, stream, and urban flooding of low lying and poor drainage areas. Significant river flooding lasted through April 23rd. Flooding resulted in 2 deaths and in millions of dollars in ... | 2 | 0 | $26M | |
| 2025-07-14 | Flash FloodPlainfield, Union County One storm episode: 15 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. A weak front approached from the west along with PW of 2 inches resulting in heavy rainfall across the area. 4 to 6.5 inches of rainfall totals were reported with rainfall rates between 1 to 2 inches. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2015-06-15 | Flash FloodClifton, Passaic County Two men from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration were in the Weasel Brook inspecting the President Street Bridge in the town of Passaic when it started raining profusely. The heavy rains caused the water level to rise from several inches to approximately eleven feet in minutes sweeping both men away. One ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2011-08-14 | FloodMt Royal, Gloucester County One storm episode: 3 records in 3 places; the totals are the episode's. A series of thunderstorms preceding a cold front dropped three to seven inches of rain across a wide swath of New Jersey (less along most of the coast) from overnight on the 13th into the day on the 14th. But in southern Gloucester, Eastern Salem and Western Cumberland County, rainfall amounts reached seven to eleven ... | 1 | 0 | $33M | |
| 2011-04-16 | Coastal FloodCamden County · forecast zone Camden One storm episode: 4 records in 4 places; the totals are the episode's. The strong southeast wind up the Delaware Bay and River combined with the already high astronomical tides associated with the full moon and fresh water runoff from heavy rain to produce severe tidal flooding along the Delaware River and tidal sections of its tributaries during the evening and overnight high tide cycle ... | 1 | 0 | $2.0M | |
| 2007-04-15 | FloodWoodbridge, Middlesex County One storm episode: 15 records in 15 places; the totals are the episode's. An intense nor'easter brought heavy rain and flooding to New Jersey that started on the 15th. The worst flooding occurred along the Raritan and Passaic River Basins. It was the worst flooding in the Raritan Basin since Hurricane Floyd in 1999. Bound Brook and Manville were once again hit hard as were communities on ... | 1 | 0 | $158M |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths direct and indirect, as filed by the National Weather Service, summed over each storm (one episode, or one named storm filed by several offices). Storm names from the titles of FEMA declarations that name the storm's counties.
The costliest floods and flash floods in New Jersey
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-10-29 | Hurricane Sandy · Coastal FloodOcean County · forecast zone Western Ocean One named storm filed by several offices: 18 records in 2 episodes, 2012-10-29 to 2012-10-30; the totals are the storm's. | 7 | 0 | $20.5B | |
| 2011-08-28 | Hurricane Irene · FloodHopewell, Mercer County One named storm filed by several offices: 23 records in 3 episodes, 2011-08-28 to 2011-09-08; the totals are the storm's. | 7 | 0 | $1.0B | |
| 1999-09-16 | Hurricane Floyd · Flash FloodCountywide, Somerset County One named storm filed by several offices: 18 records in 2 episodes; the totals are the storm's. | 6 | 186 | $954M | |
| 2000-08-12 | Flash FloodSoutheast Portion, Sussex County One storm episode: 3 records in 3 places; the totals are the episode's. | 0 | 0 | $307M | |
| 2021-09-01 | Hurricane Ida · Flash FloodRiegel Ridge, Hunterdon County One named storm filed by several offices: 17 records in 2 episodes; the totals are the storm's. | 29 | 7 | $254M | |
| 2009-11-13 | Tropical Depression Ida · Coastal FloodCape May County · forecast zone Eastern Cape May One storm episode: 5 records in 4 places; the totals are the episode's. | 0 | 0 | $235M | |
| 2007-04-15 | FloodWoodbridge, Middlesex County One storm episode: 15 records in 15 places; the totals are the episode's. | 1 | 0 | $158M | |
| 1997-08-20 | Flash FloodEstell Manor, Atlantic County | 0 | 0 | $99M |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: property and crop damage as estimated by the National Weather Service, in 2025 dollars.
Are floods and flash floods becoming more frequent in New Jersey?
New Jersey's count per decade against the whole country's, and its share. NOAA recorded every event type only from 1996, so earlier decades are not comparable; the share of the national total is the fairer comparison across decades.
| Decade | New Jersey | United States | New Jersey's share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-99 | 426 | 20,986 | 2.0% |
| 2000s | 1,069 | 54,913 | 1.9% |
| 2010s | 1,446 | 68,322 | 2.1% |
| 2020-26 | 846 | 43,563 | 1.9% |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.
The most recent floods and flash floods in New Jersey
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-23 | Flash FloodPicatinny, Morris County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-22 | Flash FloodWinslow Jct, Camden County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-22 | Flash FloodTurnersville, Gloucester County | 0 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2026-06-22 | Flash FloodPitman, Gloucester County | 0 | 0 | $15K | |
| 2026-06-22 | Flash FloodPitman, Gloucester County | 0 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2026-06-22 | Flash FloodHamilton Square, Mercer County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-14 | Flash FloodGloucester Hgts, Camden County | 0 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2026-06-14 | Flash FloodSpringside, Burlington County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-23 | Coastal FloodCape May County · forecast zone Western Cape May | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-23 | Coastal FloodCape May County · forecast zone Eastern Cape May | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-23 | Coastal FloodBurlington County · forecast zone Southeastern Burlington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-23 | Coastal FloodMonmouth County · forecast zone Western Monmouth | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; the newest months are revised by NCEI as reports arrive. Search the record at NCEI.
Federal disaster declarations for floods and flash floods in New Jersey
FEMA has declared 22 disasters in New Jersey for floods and flash floods, counting its incident type and declarations that name flood in the title (FEMA files most storm disasters under Severe Storm); 22 were major disasters, the latest on August 11, 2023.
| Declared | Number | Title | Areas named |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-08-11 | DR-4725 | Severe Storm and Flooding | 1 |
| 2011-09-15 | DR-4033 | Severe Storms and Flooding | 3 |
| 2010-04-02 | DR-1897 | Severe Storms and Flooding | 16 |
| 2009-12-22 | DR-1867 | Severe Storms and Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Ida and A Nor'eas | 3 |
| 2007-04-26 | DR-1694 | Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding | 15 |
| 2006-07-07 | DR-1653 | Severe Storms and Flooding | 4 |
| 2005-04-19 | DR-1588 | Severe Storms and Flooding | 9 |
| 2004-10-01 | DR-1563 | Severe Storms and Flooding | 4 |
| 2004-07-16 | DR-1530 | Severe Storms and Flooding | 2 |
| 2000-08-17 | DR-1337 | Severe Storms, Flooding and Mudslides | 2 |
| 1998-03-03 | DR-1206 | Severe Winter Coastal Storm, High Winds, Flooding | 3 |
| 1997-09-23 | DR-1189 | Severe Storms and Flooding | 1 |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), through October 2, 2026. OpenFEMA dataset page.
Next
- Union County: the county's whole recordThe New Jersey county with the most floods and flash floods per square mile
- Floods across the United StatesEvery state ranked, by year and month
- Every natural hazard in New JerseyTornadoes, floods, storms, heat and the federal declarations
- Severe thunderstorm wind in New Jersey6,055 records
- Winter storms in New Jersey5,132 records
- High wind and dust storms in New Jersey3,591 records