Flash Flood, Mercer
- When
- August 26, 7:00 PM EST to 11:00 PM EST
- Where
- Mercer County, South Portion
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 40.283, -74.702 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flash Flooding in New Jersey, August 26, 1998
The warm and humid tropical air mass that was in place over the region preceding Hurricane Bonnie combined with a dissipating cold front to produce thunderstorms with torrential downpours in central New Jersey. This caused flash flooding of some of the streams and creeks across the southern half of Mercer County and the extreme southwest portion of Middlesex County.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
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 PHI wrote it up.
The warm and humid tropical air mass that was in place over the region preceding Hurricane Bonnie combined with a dissipating cold front to produce thunderstorms with torrential downpours in central New Jersey. This caused flash flooding of some of the streams and creeks across the southern half of Mercer County and the extreme southwest portion of Middlesex County. This included Bear Creek. Urban and poor drainage flooding also occurred. In Trenton, police had to barricade several major roads. Several roads were also closed in Ewing Township. In Hamilton Township three roads were closed and the heavy rain caused the collapse of a 60 foot by 60 foot section of a vacant warehouse's roof. Storm totals included 4.08 inches in Hightstown. Doppler radar storm totals estimates (they appeared in line with the Hightstown report) reached 5.3 inches.
The radar
The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 45 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:02 UTC.
Event by event
2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Flash Flood, Middlesex
- When
- August 26, 7:30 PM EST to 11:00 PM EST
- Where
- Middlesex County, Southwest Portion
- Reported by
- AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
- Coordinates
- 40.440, -74.409 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- Flash Flood
- Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Hurricane in North Carolina, August 26 to 28, 1998
- Hurricane in North Carolina, August 26 to 28, 1998
- Hurricane in Virginia, August 26 to 28, 1998
- Hurricane in North Carolina, August 26 to 27, 1998
- Hurricane in North Carolina, August 26 to 27, 1998
- Hurricane in North Carolina, August 26 to 27, 1998
- High Wind in North Carolina, August 26 to 27, 1998
- High Wind in North Carolina, August 26 to 27, 1998
- Hurricane in South Carolina, August 26, 1998
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Utah, August 26, 1998
- Tornado in North Carolina, August 26, 1998
- Tornado in North Carolina, August 26, 1998
More
Every storm in New Jersey in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in New Jersey, August 1998
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: 5668091, 5668092.