New Jersey, 1998

Flooding in New Jersey, January 23 to 24, 1998

January 23 to 24, 1998 · NWS OKX · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

With a weak low pressure system moving east across the Ohio Valley and a strong High sliding slowly southeast over Maine, a strong east wind flow developed across the region early Friday morning, January 23rd. S.

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
0
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 OKX wrote it up.

With a weak low pressure system moving east across the Ohio Valley and a strong High sliding slowly southeast over Maine, a strong east wind flow developed across the region early Friday morning, January 23rd. As the High moved southeast, the low over Ohio weakened as another low formed over the Southeast U.S. This second low rapidly intensified as it moved northeast, passing over New York City (NYC) late Friday evening. With abundant moisture available, heavy precipitation, mainly heavy rain along with strong gusty winds occurred from Friday afternoon through early Saturday morning.Precipitation began in the form of snow flurries from 3 am to 4 am. It quickly changed to sleet then rain before noon. As the low moved toward NYC, heavy showers and thunderstorms formed and spread north across the region. Heavy rainfall from around 1 1/2 to just over 3 inches resulted in widespread flooding of low-lying and poor drainage areas. Numerous road closures caused by flooding was reported.Here are selected rainfall amounts:o For Bergen County, from 1.67 inches at New Milford to 3.10 inches at Woodcliff Lake.o For Essex County, from 1.66 inches at Caldwell to 2.29 inches at Newark Airport, which set a new daily record.o For Hudson County, 2.26 inches fell at Harrison.o For Union County, from 1.50 inches at Cranford to 3.20 inches at Canoe Brook.

The radar

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

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Event by event

4 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Bergen

When
January 23, 6:00 PM EST to January 24, 5:00 AM EST
Where
Bergen County, Countywide
Coordinates
40.960, -74.074 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Essex

When
January 23, 6:00 PM EST to January 24, 5:00 AM EST
Where
Essex County, Countywide
Coordinates
40.787, -74.247 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Hudson

When
January 23, 6:00 PM EST to January 24, 5:00 AM EST
Where
Hudson County, Countywide
Coordinates
40.731, -74.076 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Union

When
January 23, 6:00 PM EST to January 24, 5:00 AM EST
Where
Union County, Countywide
Coordinates
40.660, -74.309 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in New Jersey in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in New Jersey, January 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: 5637277, 5637278, 5637279, 5637280.