Heavy Rain in New Jersey, December 5 to 6, 1996

Name: Heavy Rain in New Jersey, December 5 to 6, 1996
Start: 1996-12-05T22:00
End: 1996-12-06T10:00
Location: New Jersey

December 5 to 6, 1996 · NWS PHI · 10 events in 10 counties and zones

A low pressure system developed over South Carolina the afternoon of the 5th. ), heavy rain spread across New Jersey after midnight on the 6th.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 10 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 10

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS PHI wrote it up.

A low pressure system developed over South Carolina the afternoon of the 5th. As it quickly intensified and moved northeast (It passed just east of the New Jersey coast the morning of the 6th.), heavy rain spread across New Jersey after midnight on the 6th. Storm totals averaged around 1.50 inches across the area and produced some urban and poor drainage flooding. This was the second soaking precipitation event within the week and month. Rainfall amounts were less than one inch farther southeast in the state. The rain changed briefly to snow before ending across western parts of the state. Precipitation totals included 1.74 inches in Reigelsville (Hunterdon County), 1.66 inches in Freehold (Monmouth County), 1.62 inches at the McGuire AFB, 1.5 inches in Seabrook (Cumberland County), 1.48 inches in Wertsville (Hunterdon County), 1.44 inches in Mount Laurel (Burlington County), 1.34 inches in Washington's Crossing (Mercer County), 1.29 inches in Pottersville (Somerset County) and 1.24 inches in Belvidere (Warren County).

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Warren

When: December 5, 10:00 PM EST to December 6, 10:00 AM EST
Where: Warren forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.857, -74.997 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Hunterdon

When: December 5, 11:00 PM EST to December 6, 10:00 AM EST
Where: Hunterdon forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.567, -74.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Somerset

When: December 5, 11:00 PM EST to December 6, 10:00 AM EST
Where: Somerset forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.564, -74.616 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Middlesex

When: December 5, 11:00 PM EST to December 6, 10:00 AM EST
Where: Middlesex forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.440, -74.409 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Western Monmouth

When: December 5, 11:00 PM EST to December 6, 10:00 AM EST
Where: Western Monmouth forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.288, -74.158 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Mercer

When: December 5, 11:00 PM EST to December 6, 10:00 AM EST
Where: Mercer forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.283, -74.702 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Northwestern Burlington

When: December 6, 12:00 AM EST to 10:00 AM EST
Where: Northwestern Burlington forecast zone
Coordinates: 39.878, -74.668 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Gloucester

When: December 6, 12:00 AM EST to 10:00 AM EST
Where: Gloucester forecast zone
Coordinates: 39.717, -75.142 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Salem

When: December 6, 12:00 AM EST to 10:00 AM EST
Where: Salem forecast zone
Coordinates: 39.577, -75.358 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Cumberland

When: December 6, 12:00 AM EST to 10:00 AM EST
Where: Cumberland forecast zone
Coordinates: 39.328, -75.129 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in New Jersey in 1996 Every state in 1996 This day in weather history Warnings in New Jersey, December 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5577398, 5577399, 5577400, 5577401, 5577402, 5577403, 5577404, 5577405, 5577406, 5577407.