Hail in New Jersey, May 24, 1999

An unusually large hail storm caused considerable crop damage in southern Camden County as well as adjacent Atlantic and Gloucester Counties. A one mile wide and six mile long swath of large hail fell from Ancora in Camden County through Hammonton in Atlantic County. Three quarters of Camden County's vegetable crops were damaged. On one Winslow Township farm alone damage to the cucumber pickle crop was estimated at $60,000. It was estimated that 5,700 acres on 54 farms in Atlantic, Camden and Gloucester Counties were damaged by the large hail. Sixty percent of the sweet corn and 40 percent of the strawberry crop were damaged in the three county area. The peach and apple fruit were pockmarked by the hail. Other crops damaged included asparagus, peas, peppers, squash and sweet potatoes. Governor Whitman asked the USDA to declare the region a natural disaster area. Farmers were able to replant the damaged vegetable fields since the large hail occurred early in the growing season.