New Jersey, 1997

Heavy Rain in New Jersey, September 11, 1997

September 11, 1997 · NWS PHI · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

Showers and thunderstorms with heavy rain caused some urban and poor drainage flooding in Northwest New Jersey. The heaviest rain fell in two bursts: during the morning commute hours and again during the mid afternoon.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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
2
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
4

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.

Showers and thunderstorms with heavy rain caused some urban and poor drainage flooding in Northwest New Jersey. The heaviest rain fell in two bursts: during the morning commute hours and again during the mid afternoon. Storm totals averaged between 2.0 and 3.5 inches. Two children were injured in Byram Township when a rotten tree limb from a dead tree fell onto them while they were waiting for a school bus. Storm totals included 4.33 inches in Montague (Sussex County), 3.53 inches in Morristown (Morris County), 3.28 inches in both Rockaway (Morris County) and White House Station (Hunterdon County), 2.91 inches in Oak Ridge (Morris County), 2.81 inches in Wantage (Sussex County), 2.53 inches in Long Valley (Morris County), 2.35 inches in Chatham (Morris County), 2.28 inches in Belvidere (Warren County) and 2.07 inches in Sussex (Sussex County).

The radar

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

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Event by event

4 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Morris

When
September 11, 3:00 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where
Morris County, Countywide
Coordinates
40.862, -74.544 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Warren

When
September 11, 3:00 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where
Warren County, Countywide
Coordinates
40.857, -74.997 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Sussex

When
September 11, 3:00 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where
Sussex County, Countywide
Injuries
2 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates
41.140, -74.690 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Hunterdon

When
September 11, 3:00 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where
Hunterdon County, Countywide
Coordinates
40.567, -74.912 (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

More

Every storm in New Jersey in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in New Jersey, September 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: 5620192, 5620193, 5620194, 5620195.