Heavy Rain in New Jersey, May 9 to 10, 1998

Name: Heavy Rain in New Jersey, May 9 to 10, 1998
Start: 1998-05-09T00:00
End: 1998-05-10T21:30
Location: New Jersey

May 9 to 10, 1998 · NWS OKX · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

Measurable rain developed across the region during Friday, May 8th. Heavy rain caused urban flooding of streets, poor drainage and low-lying areas as well as flooding of small streams.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 2
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 5

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 slow moving storm moved south and east of the Mid-Atlantic Coast from Friday, May 8th through Monday, May 11th.Measurable rain developed across the region during Friday, May 8th. Rain was occasionally heavy during both Saturday, May 9th and Sunday, May 10th and ended on Monday, May 11th.Heavy rain caused urban flooding of streets, poor drainage and low-lying areas as well as flooding of small streams. Rainfall amounts generally ranged from 3 .00 to 6.00 inches. Here are selected rainfall amounts for:o Bergen County - from 3.09 inches at Lodi to 4.85 inches at Oakland.o Essex County - from 3.90 inches at Newark to 5.60 inches at Verona.o Passaic County - from 3.47 inches at Wanaque to 5.64 inches at Ringwood.o Hudson County - 3.80 inches was measured at Harrison.Heavy rain also contributed to a roof that collapsed at the Plains Pharmacy in Packanack Shopping Center in Wayne around 11:30 am on May 10th. Two people required hospitalization and three others escaped with only minor injuries.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Bergen

When: May 9, 12:00 AM EST to May 10, 9:30 PM EST
Where: Bergen County, Countywide
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 40.960, -74.074 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Essex

When: May 9, 12:00 AM EST to May 10, 9:30 PM EST
Where: Essex County, Countywide
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 40.787, -74.247 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Hudson

When: May 9, 12:00 AM EST to May 10, 9:30 PM EST
Where: Hudson County, Countywide
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 40.731, -74.076 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Passaic

When: May 9, 12:00 AM EST to May 10, 9:30 PM EST
Where: Passaic County, Countywide
Injuries: 2 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 41.034, -74.300 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Union

When: May 9, 12:00 AM EST to May 10, 9:30 PM EST
Where: Union County, Countywide
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 40.660, -74.309 (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

Every storm in New Jersey in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings in New Jersey, May 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: 5659627, 5659628, 5659629, 5659630, 5659631.