New Jersey, 1997

Damaging Winds in New Jersey, August 16, 1997

August 16, 1997 · NWS OKX · 6 events in 5 counties and zones

A line of severe thunderstorms moved rapidly east across the area. High winds downed numerous trees in Ringwood and along Route 23 in West Milford.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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
3
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

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 OKX wrote it up.

A line of severe thunderstorms moved rapidly east across the area. Thunderstorms produced high winds that downed numerous trees and power lines.High winds downed numerous trees in Ringwood and along Route 23 in West Milford. A shed was blown away in Ringwood of Western Passaic County.In Essex County, a tree fell onto a house in Maplewood. In Newark, a person was injured when a tree fell and pinned the person. A 58 mph peak wind gust was recorded at Caldwell Airport.In Union County, high winds downed numerous large trees in Roselle and downed wires in both Roselle and Union.Across Eastern Passaic County, high winds downed trees and powerlines in both Wayne and Paterson.In Bergen County, traffic lights were downed in Woodridge. High winds downed trees in Saddle Brook, Lyndhurst, and Rutherford.

The radar

The Brookhaven radar (KOKX), 120 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:01 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Passaic

When
August 16, 4:00 PM EST
Where
Passaic County, Ringwood to West Milford
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
41.120, -74.250

Thunderstorm Wind, Essex

When
August 16, 4:15 PM EST to 4:35 PM EST
Where
Essex County, Caldwell Arpt to Newark
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Injuries
2 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates
40.870, -74.280

Thunderstorm Wind, Union

When
August 16, 4:15 PM EST
Where
Union County, Roselle to Union
Measured
56 kt (64 mph)
Coordinates
40.650, -74.270

Thunderstorm Wind, Passaic

When
August 16, 4:30 PM EST
Where
Passaic County, Wayne to Paterson
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Injuries
1 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates
40.930, -74.250

Thunderstorm Wind, Hudson

When
August 16, 4:30 PM EST
Where
Hudson County, North Bergen
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
40.780, -74.020

Thunderstorm Wind, Bergen

When
August 16, 4:39 PM EST to 4:55 PM EST
Where
Bergen County, Oakland
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
41.030, -74.250

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in New Jersey in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in New Jersey, August 1997

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: 5610583, 5610584, 5610585, 5610586, 5610588, 5610587.