New Jersey, 2002

Heavy Rain in New Jersey, March 2 to 3, 2002

March 2 to 3, 2002 · NWS PHI · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

A low pressure system that developed along the Gulf Coast States on the second moved northeast through Pennsylvania during the early morning of the 3rd and brought a significant precipitation event for New Jersey. In most locations, it was the wettest single precipitation event since either August or September of 2001.

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 PHI wrote it up.

A low pressure system that developed along the Gulf Coast States on the second moved northeast through Pennsylvania during the early morning of the 3rd and brought a significant precipitation event for New Jersey. In most locations, it was the wettest single precipitation event since either August or September of 2001. Storm totals averaged between 0.50 inches and 1.50 inches. The heaviest rain fell across northern Mercer, southern Hunterdon, western Somerset and Morris Counties. Some poor drainage flooding occurred, but streams were running so low prior to the rain that they did not flood. Rain spread from south to north across the state between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. EST on the 2nd. The heaviest rain fell between 900 p.m. EST on the 2nd and 300 a.m. EST on the 3rd. The rain ended by daybreak on the 3rd. Specific storm totals included 1.52 inches in Long Valley (Morris County), 1.49 inches in Gillette (Morris County), 1.48 inches in Neshanic (Somerset County), 1.40 inches in Washington's Crossing (Mercer County)and 1.28 inches in Flemington (Hunterdon County).

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 2, 2:35 PM EST, 6 hours 25 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 2, 2:35 PM EST, 6 hours 25 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
235 PM EST SAT MAR 2 2002

PRECIP WILL CONT ITS TRECK NORTH AND SHOULD COVER ENTIRE FA BEFORE
MIDNIGHT. HEAVIEST AMOUNTS SHOULD BE OVER S AND E ZONES WITH QPF
AROUND 1 FURTHER N SLIGHTLY LESSER AMOUNTS. NOT A DROUGHT ENDER
PRECIP WILL TURN SHOWERY DURING DAY SUN ENDING WITH FROPA LATE IN
DAY. FLURRIES OVER NW ZONES SUN NIGHT AND FAR NW MONDAY. TEMPS TOOK
A BLEND OF MAV/FWC GUIDANCE.

MARINE...WILL CONT GALES ALL AREAS DUE TO THE RAPIDLY INCR GRADIENT.

.PHI...
DE...NONE.
MD...NONE.
NJ...NONE.
PA...NONE.
MARINE...GALE WARNING COAST AND DEL BAY.

ZEV

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Hunterdon

When
March 2, 9:00 PM EST to March 3, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Hunterdon County, Lambertville
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
40.567, -74.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Mercer

When
March 2, 9:00 PM EST to March 3, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Mercer County, Washington Crossing
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
40.283, -74.702 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Morris

When
March 2, 9:00 PM EST to March 3, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Morris County, Countywide
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
40.862, -74.544 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Somerset

When
March 2, 9:00 PM EST to March 3, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Somerset County, Far Hills
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
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 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyWarnings in New Jersey, March 2002

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: 5286318, 5286319, 5286320, 5286321.