New Jersey, 1997

Damaging Winds in New Jersey, May 19, 1997

May 19, 1997 · NWS OKX · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A line of scattered severe thunderstorms moved east at 50 mph across the area. It caused high winds, that downed trees in Saddle River.

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
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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 scattered severe thunderstorms moved east at 50 mph across the area. It caused high winds, that downed trees in Saddle River. Thunderstorms also produced small hail and heavy rain.

The radar

The Brookhaven radar (KOKX), 111 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:23 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Passaic

When
May 19, 9:25 PM EST
Where
Passaic County, Paterson
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
40.930, -74.180

Thunderstorm Wind, Bergen

When
May 19, 9:40 PM EST
Where
Bergen County, Saddle River
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
41.030, -74.100

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, May 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: 5610153, 5610154.