Flash Flooding and Heavy Rain in New Jersey, January 3, 1999

Heavy rain fell during the morning of the 3rd across New Jersey. There was still some freezing rain in Sussex County. The heaviest rain fell across eastern New Jersey where rainfall rates of an inch per hour lasted for two to three hours. This caused flooding of some streams in Monmouth, Camden and Atlantic Counties and precipitated a mud slide that destroyed one unit of a condominium complex in Highlands (Monmouth County). The occupants of the unit suffered natural gas inhalation, but were otherwise unharmed. Doppler Radar storm total estimates indicated a band of very heavy rain fell diagonally across the state from Millville northeast through western Atlantic County, southern Burlington County, western Ocean County and most of Monmouth County.On the evening of the 2nd, as one low pressure system headed into the Great Lakes, a second low pressure system formed along its frontal boundary along the coastal plains of the South Atlantic States. Not only did this second low pressure system increase the pressure gradient (or surface pressure difference between it and a strong high pressure system over the Canadian Maritimes), but it also brought heavy rain into the state. Urban and poor drainage flooding occurred. This was exacerbated near the coast ( the rain was also heavier) by coinciding with the morning high tide. In Highlands, a 20 foot by 5 foot section of South Linden Avenue caved in and sent wet earth and trees into a retention wall behind the Highland Shore Condominium Complex. The mud and debris traveled over the retention wall and punched a 20 foot hole in the rear of the building. The debris crashed through the floor and exited the building through the front garage. The debris also ruptured the natural gas line (injured the two occupants) and forced the temporary evacuation of residents in the complex. The end unit was destroyed, the adjoining unit had some structural damage; the rest were not damaged. Elsewhere within the borough, the heavy rain and high tides forced the closure of several roads including New Jersey State Route 36. The borough declared a state of emergency. Water was knee deep in the downtown area. Most roads were reopened around 130 p.m. EST. Elsewhere in Monmouth County, kayaks were used as the means of transportation on flooded Carmel Way in Eatontown. In Atlantic County, the combination of flooding along Hammonton Creek and debris clogged drains forced the closure of New Jersey State Route 54 (where water was four feet deep in spots) and five streets near the creek. In Camden County the White Horse Pike (United States Route 30) was closed in Winslow Township. U. S. Route 130 was also closed near the Collingswood Circle in Collingswood Borough. There were numerous reports of poor drainage flooding in Middlesex County. In Hunterdon County, field and basement flooding occurred. Storm totals for the entire event included 4.23 inches in Ocean Grove (Monmouth County), 3.74 inches in Red Bank (Monmouth County), 3.60 inches in Estell Manor (Atlantic County), 3.52 inches in both Chatham (Morris County) and Toms River (Ocean County), 3.40 inches in Morris Plains (Morris County), 3.26 inches in Freehold (Monmouth County), 3.20 inches in Fords (Middlesex County), 3.07 inches in Millville (Cumberland County), 2.91 inches in Belmar (Monmouth County), 2.87 inches at the McGuire AFB (Burlington County), 2.86 inches in Somerville (Somerset County) and Atsion (Burlington County), 2.85 inches in Wertsville (Hunterdon County), 2.74 inches in Pottersville (Somerset County), 2.72 inches in Piney Hollow (Gloucester County), 2.60 inches in Belle Mead (Somerset County), 2.50 inches in Hammonton (Atlantic County), 2.42 inches in Boonton (Morris County), 2.37 inches in New Brunswick (Middlesex County), 2.25 inches in Washington Crossing (Mercer County), 2.20 inches in Sparta (Sussex County), 2.19 inches in Princeton (Mercer County), 2.13 inches in Mount Holly (Burlington County), 2.09 inches in Stewartsville (Warren County), 1.92 inches in Somerdale (Camden County), 1.85 inches in Stow Creek (Cumberland County), 1.80 inches in West Deptford (Gloucester County), 1.62 inches in Pennsauken (Camden County), 1.56 inches in Andover (Sussex County), 1.38 inches at the Marina within Atlantic City, 1.37 inches in Hainesville (Sussex County)