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New Jersey Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
Hot New Jersey Rankings
The chance of earthquake damage in New Jersey is lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in New Jersey is lower than the national average.
Earthquake Index, #12
| New Jersey | 0.80 |
| U.S. | 1.81 |
The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.
Volcano Index, #14
| New Jersey | 0.0000 |
| U.S. | 0.0023 |
The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.
Tornado Index, #31
| New Jersey | 88.59 |
| U.S. | 136.45 |
The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.
Other Weather Extremes Events
A total of 7,113 other weather extremes events from 1950 to 2010 were recorded in New Jersey. The following is a break down of these events:
| Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count |
| Avalanche: | 0 | Blizzard: | 17 | Cold: | 33 | Dense Fog: | 59 | Drought: | 57 |
| Dust Storm: | 0 | Flood: | 1,213 | Hail: | 623 | Heat: | 100 | Heavy Snow: | 140 |
| High Surf: | 81 | Hurricane: | 1 | Ice Storm: | 18 | Landslide: | 0 | Strong Wind: | 384 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 2,393 | Tropical Storm: | 9 | Wildfire: | 89 | Winter Storm: | 118 | Winter Weather: | 296 |
| Other: | 1,482 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
No volcano is found in or near New Jersey.
Historical Earthquake Events
A total of 1 historical earthquake event that had a recorded magnitude of 3.5 or above found in New Jersey.
| Date | Magnitude | Depth (km) | Latitude | Longitude |
| 1973-02-28 | 3.8 | 14 | 39.72 | -75.44 |
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 30 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in New Jersey.
| Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County | |
| 1973-05-28 | 3 | 40°48'N / 74°30'W | 0.40 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Morris | ||
| 1973-05-28 | 3 | 40°51'N / 74°43'W | 0.40 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 12 | 250K | 0 | Morris | ||
| 1983-07-21 | 3 | 39°40'N / 74°17'W | 0.20 Mile | 10 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Ocean | ||
| 1990-10-18 | 3 | 40°29'N / 74°46'W | 0.50 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 8 | 2.5M | 0 | Somerset | ||
| 1955-10-16 | 2 | 40°18'N / 74°05'W | 40°19'N / 74°00'W | 3.80 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Monmouth | |
| 1956-05-06 | 2 | 39°15'N / 74°50'W | 0.20 Mile | 40 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Cape May | ||
| 1956-09-06 | 2 | 41°03'N / 74°06'W | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Bergen | ||||
| 1958-06-13 | 2 | 40°09'N / 74°42'W | 40°10'N / 74°40'W | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Burlington | |||
| 1958-06-13 | 2 | 40°10'N / 74°40'W | 40°11'N / 74°39'W | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Mercer | |||
| 1960-07-14 | 2 | 39°43'N / 75°26'W | 39°44'N / 75°23'W | 2.30 Miles | 450 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Salem | |
| 1960-07-14 | 2 | 39°44'N / 75°23'W | 39°46'N / 75°08'W | 13.30 Miles | 450 Yards | 0 | 6 | 0K | 0 | Gloucester | |
| 1962-05-24 | 2 | 40°18'N / 74°54'W | 40°17'N / 74°37'W | 14.70 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Mercer | |
| 1962-08-07 | 2 | 40°56'N / 74°04'W | 2.50 Miles | 250 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Bergen | ||
| 1970-07-15 | 2 | 40°55'N / 73°55'W | 2.00 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Bergen | ||
| 1970-11-04 | 2 | 39°22'N / 74°27'W | 0.50 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Atlantic | ||
| 1971-08-27 | 2 | 38°55'N / 74°56'W | 39°19'N / 74°47'W | 28.70 Miles | 40 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Cape May | |
| 1973-02-02 | 2 | 40°36'N / 74°52'W | 0.30 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Hunterdon | ||
| 1974-04-14 | 2 | 40°49'N / 74°50'W | 0.50 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Hunterdon | ||
| 1975-07-13 | 2 | 39°30'N / 75°13'W | 1.50 Miles | 77 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25.0M | 0 | Cumberland | ||
| 1981-07-20 | 2 | 40°55'N / 74°45'W | 40°52'N / 74°42'W | 3.60 Miles | 250 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Morris | |
| 1981-10-26 | 2 | 40°52'N / 74°53'W | 0.80 Mile | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Warren | ||
| 1982-06-29 | 2 | 39°53'N / 74°15'W | 1.50 Miles | 23 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Ocean | ||
| 1987-07-21 | 2 | 39°21'N / 74°35'W | 0.50 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 3 | 3K | 0 | Atlantic | ||
| 1988-08-17 | 2 | 40°17'N / 74°47'W | 40°13'N / 74°45'W | 4.50 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Mercer | |
| 1988-08-17 | 2 | 39°43'N / 75°28'W | 1.50 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Salem | ||
| 1989-06-09 | 2 | 39°57'N / 75°07'W | 39°57'N / 75°05'W | 1.50 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Camden | |
| 1990-05-10 | 2 | 39°29'N / 75°02'W | 0.50 Mile | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Cumberland | ||
| 1999-08-20 | 2 | 39°33'N / 74°15'W | 39°33'N / 74°15'W | 0.40 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 1 | 4.2M | 0 | Ocean | |
| Brief Description: A strong waterspout formed over the Atlantic Ocean just southeast of Beach Haven and moved northwest. It became a tornado as it moved across Long Beach Island around 350 p.m. EDT along the Beach Haven/Long Beach Township border. It briefly reached F2 intensity (on the Fujita Scale) as it crossed the island thus becoming one of the strongest tornadoes that ever started as a waterspout. It was also the first strong (F2 or F3 tornado on the Fujita Scale) tornado to occur in Ocean County since July 21, 1983. The tornado crossed back into Little Egg Harbor thus becoming a waterspout again and dissipated before reaching Barrel Island. Damage was estimated at 4.2 million dollars. About 35 homes and buildings were damaged as were about 50 vehicles and 5 boats. The worst damage occurred to the Sea Spray Motel. The motel and two other homes were condemned in Long Beach Township. One woman staying at the motel was injured (severe hand laceration) by flying glass. About 165 persons were displaced, 150 of them were vacationing at the Sea Spray Motel. The tornado also knocked down two main transmission lines from the mainland to the substation on Long Beach Island. About 3,100 homes and businesses lost power, mainly in the vicinity of the tornado. All power was restored around 10 p.m. EDT. The tornado's path length was about 0.4 of a mile and its path width was about 100 yards. The highest winds were estimated at 120 mph. A house on Nelson Street on the northern side of the tornado measured a peak wind gust of 95 mph. The tornado started as a waterspout in the Atlantic Ocean. It moved northwest and made landfall in the Holgate section of Long Beach Township. An oceanfront house on South Bay Avenue suffered severe window and siding damage and also had its chimney knocked down. This was one of the three condemned structures. The tornado also sent the home's recliner airborne and snapped several trees. Several houses surrounding this one suffered minor damage. The tornado then crossed the main street of Long Beach Boulevard and then inflicted major damage to the Sea Spray Motel. The tornado plucked a section of the roof covering nine rooms, and tore the eaves off another section of roof above eight other rooms. Many windows were shattered and debris from the hotel was found 1,000 feet away. The motel's back wall became structurally unsound and its roof landed on and badly damaged a playground on Nelson Avenue. The motel's chain link fence also was knocked down. The third home that was condemned was on the back (northwest) side of the motel as flying debris damaged it. The tornado continued to move northwest along the township border. Numerous homes had windows damaged, siding and shingles stripped and garage doors and decks ripped away. Barbecue grills and lawn furniture (some stuck in trees) were tossed. Numerous trees were also snapped. On Nelson Avenue, one of the more heavily damaged houses in Beach Haven lost its garage and two air conditioning units were blown into the home. The residents found a 1 by 2 board driven into the house's siding. Another nearby deck beam had a 12 inch stake driven into it. The tornado entered Little Egg Harbor near Grosser Street and sunk a boat. The waterspout dissipated on the bay before reaching Barrel Island. Damage in Long Beach Township was estimated at 4 million dollars, a third of which was damage to the Sea Spray Motel. Damage in Beach Haven Borough was estimated at 200,000 dollars. Other thunderstorms over the nearby Atlantic also caused tragic results. The violent weather offshore apparently capsized a 23 foot long wellcraft about 70 miles southeast of Atlantic City. Three men on board drowned. One body was recovered about 30 miles east of Cape May. | |||||||||||
| 2001-05-27 | 2 | 40°21'N / 74°20'W | 40°22'N / 74°18'W | 1.50 Miles | 67 Yards | 0 | 0 | 1.0M | 0 | Monmouth | |
| Brief Description: A strong tornado (F2 on the Fujita Scale) struck extreme northern Manalapan and extreme southwest Marlboro Townships. Four houses had severe roof damage and about a dozen others suffered minor damage. A construction trailer was tossed and two vehicles were overturned. Between 150 and 200 trees were either uprooted or damaged. Tree damage was so extensive that Hawkins Road Park was closed. The area was littered with broken pieces of wood, shingles, gutters and parts of roofs. The tornado's path length was about 1.5 miles and its path width was around 200 feet. No injuries were reported. This was the first strong tornado in New Jersey since August 20, 1999 and the first strong tornado in Monmouth County since October 16, 1955. The tornado first touched down near Arbach Lane in Manalapan Township. It initially was relatively weak (F0) on the Fujita Scale, but intensified into an F1 tornado before it reached Kentucky Court. One property on Kentucky Court lost dozens of trees. The tornado also downed trees on Ivanhoe and Rowena Roads. The tornado reached its maximum strength (F2) as it passed through Debracy Court where the worst damage occurred. Four homes suffered severe roof damage. The roof and second floor of one home had to be completely repaired. The windows of another house all burst. A restored Thunderbird was damaged by flying debris that penetrated the garage door. The house apparently shifted as doors no longer closed. A third home on the block had a picnic table blown into its sunroom along with a piece of the neighbor's fence. Patio furniture was splintered throughout the block. A minivan parked in one driveway, was rolled about 40 feet. The tornado weakened to an F1 after it left Debracy Court. Nevertheless, it tore shingles from a home on Eastwood Boulevard and downed a tree onto a car. A construction trailer on Hawkins Corner Road was blown 50 feet across the street and crushed like an aluminum can. As the tornado crossed into Marlboro Township, it knocked down dozens of trees in Hawkins Road Park. The part was closed because of the uprooted trees. As the tornado exited the park, it weakened to an F0. It still knocked a tree onto a house on MacLeisch Drive and ripped shingles and gutters from homes on Guest and MacLeisch Drives. The tornado lifted as it approached Barclay Brook. | |||||||||||
| 2009-07-29 | 2 | 41°14'N / 74°40'W | 41°18'N / 74°34'W | 7.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 800K | 200K | Sussex | |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: An EF-2 tornado touched down in Wantage Township at about 248 p.m. EDT on the 29th. It was the first confirmed tornado in Sussex County since August of 1990, the first tornado of F2 or EF2 strength ever in the county since records started in 1950 and the first tornado to reach EF2 or F2 strength in New Jersey since the Manalapan tornado of May 27, 2001. The tornado remained on the ground for 6.6 miles before it crossed the border into New York State. Its maximum width was about 100 yards and its highest estimated wind speed was 120 mph. The tornado damaged thousands of trees, decimated acres of farmland and some rural property. The tornado touched down near the intersection of Route 519 and Rutgers Road, then crossed Libertyville Road, Snoyer Road and Ramsey Road, producing minor tree and limb damage along the way. More substantial damage, mainly in the form of downed trees and some minor structural damage, occurred after the tornado crossed New Jersey State Route 23 near its intersection with Unionville Road and Rose Morrow Road. The worst damage of the entire tornado occurred along Beemer Road and on the north side of New Jersey State Route 23. Substantial damage occurred to the Ricker Farm, as two barns and one silo were destroyed. Two other barns suffered severe wind damage. Some minor damage also occurred to the adjacent farmhouse. Pieces of one barn roof were found three quarters of a mile away. A two week old calf was killed by the flying debris, two others were thrown fifty feet, but not seriously hurt. Damage estimates for the Ricker farm reached as high as $500,000. Hundreds of trees were felled further north along Beemer Road, and power was out for several hours as power lines were brought down by the tornado and falling trees. The tornado weakened after it crossed Wolfpit Road and Black Dirt Road on its way into New York State. On Wolfpit Road, it ripped the porch from a home and lifted a boat and carried it one quarter of a mile away. A vineyard in the township was also damaged. The tornado crossed into Orange County, New York near Quarry Road as an EF-1. No other deaths or injuries were reported from this tornado. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A warm front retreating to the north and a cold front approaching from the west produced strong to severe thunderstorms across New Jersey during the afternoon and early evening of the 29th. One EF-2 tornado also occurred. The wind damage and lightning resulted in about 57,000 homes and businesses in losing power. | |||||||||||
* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.