New Jersey, 1998

Heavy Rain in New Jersey, January 23, 1998

January 23, 1998 · NWS PHI · 14 events in 14 counties and zones

A low pressure system moved into the Ohio Valley the morning of the 23rd. A series of weak secondary low pressure systems developed along this primary low's cold front.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 14 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
14

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.

A low pressure system moved into the Ohio Valley the morning of the 23rd. A series of weak secondary low pressure systems developed along this primary low's cold front. Not only did this prolong the rain through the evening of the 23rd, but also helped it fall heavy at times especially during the afternoon on the 23rd. Storm totals averaged between 1.5 inches and 2.75 inches across most of the state. This caused the usual urban and poor drainage flooding in low-lying areas and caused some minor flooding along the Assunpink Creek and the Cooper, Millstone and Raritan Rivers. Please refer to the separate storm data entries about specific crests for these waterways. Storm totals included 2.79 inches in Iselin (Middlesex County), 2.77 inches at the McGuire AFB, 2.71 inches in Hazlet (Monmouth County), 2.52 inches in Red Bank (Monmouth County), 2.47 inches in Princeton (Mercer County), 2.46 inches in New Lisbon (Burlington County), 2.41 inches in Mount Holly (Burlington County), 2.31 inches in Cherry Hill (Camden County), 2.27 inches in Washington Crossing (Mercer County), 2.22 inches in Wertsville (Hunterdon County), 2.21 inches in Verga (Gloucester County), 2.18 inches in Seabrook (Cumberland County) and Chatham (Morris County), 2.16 inches at the Atlantic City International Airport, 2.14 inches in Belle Mead (Somerset County), 1.75 inches in Washington Township (Morris County) and 1.51 inches in Margate (Atlantic County).

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

14 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Atlantic

When
January 23, 9:00 AM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where
Atlantic County, Countywide
Coordinates
39.469, -74.634 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Burlington

When
January 23, 9:00 AM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where
Burlington County, Countywide
Coordinates
39.878, -74.668 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Camden

When
January 23, 9:00 AM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where
Camden County, Countywide
Coordinates
39.804, -74.960 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Cape May

When
January 23, 9:00 AM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where
Cape May County, Countywide
Coordinates
39.085, -74.850 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Cumberland

When
January 23, 9:00 AM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where
Cumberland County, Countywide
Coordinates
39.328, -75.129 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Gloucester

When
January 23, 9:00 AM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where
Gloucester County, Countywide
Coordinates
39.717, -75.142 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Hunterdon

When
January 23, 9:00 AM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where
Hunterdon County, Countywide
Coordinates
40.567, -74.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Mercer

When
January 23, 9:00 AM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where
Mercer County, Countywide
Coordinates
40.283, -74.702 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Middlesex

When
January 23, 9:00 AM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where
Middlesex County, Countywide
Coordinates
40.440, -74.409 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Monmouth

When
January 23, 9:00 AM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where
Monmouth County, Countywide
Coordinates
40.288, -74.158 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Morris

When
January 23, 9:00 AM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where
Morris County, Countywide
Coordinates
40.862, -74.544 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Ocean

When
January 23, 9:00 AM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where
Ocean County, Countywide
Coordinates
39.866, -74.250 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Salem

When
January 23, 9:00 AM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where
Salem County, Countywide
Coordinates
39.577, -75.358 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Somerset

When
January 23, 9:00 AM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where
Somerset County, Countywide
Coordinates
40.564, -74.616 (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 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5630481, 5630482, 5630483, 5630484, 5630485, 5630486, 5630487, 5630488, 5630489, 5630490, 5630491, 5630492, 5630493, 5630494.