New Jersey, 2002

Drought in New Jersey, May 1 to 31, 2002

May 1 to 31, 2002 · NWS OKX · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

A wetter pattern developed during late March that lasted through May. The tri-state region saw drought conditions relax a bit due to some very beneficial rains and some diligent water use restrictions and conservation measures.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

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 wetter pattern developed during late March that lasted through May. The tri-state region saw drought conditions relax a bit due to some very beneficial rains and some diligent water use restrictions and conservation measures. May broke a string of 10 consecutive months of below normal precipitation. The Hydrologic Service Area (HSA) received 4.77 inches for the month, which was 122 percent of normal or 0.85 inches above normal. Sixteen of the past 20 months, dating back to October 2000, were below normal. The total precipitation deficit during the past 20 months was 17.71 inches; and during the past 11 months was 14.26 inches.Despite the recent rainfall, ground water levels were similar to levels during the 1965-66 drought. Ground water storage was much less than in normal years. However, surface water storage did improve.The combined storage in the 13 major reservoirs serving northeast New Jersey at the end of May was 77.0 percent capacity, which was around 20 percent below normal. Capacities in the individual reservoirs at the end of May were: Newark Reservoirs 66.9% (Percent capacity)Jersey City Reservoirs 91.4%North Jersey District 78.0%United Water of New Jersey 72.8%The State of New Jersey extended the state-wide Drought Emergency that it issued on March 4th, through May 31st. Passaic, Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Union Counties were included in this emergency.

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 New York, NY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 30, 11:20 PM EST, 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 30, 11:20 PM EST, 40 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY
1220 AM EDT TUE MAY 1 2002

FORECAST UPDATED FOR RAIN FOG THAT HAS FORMED AS THE SKIES HAVE
CLEARED. DENSE FOG ADVISORY ONLY UP FOR INLAND ZONES UNTIL 4 AM AS
MIXING IS EXPECTED TO OCCUR BEFORE DAWN. MAY NEED TO EXPAND THE
ADVISORY TO THE ISLAND.

.OKX...
CT...DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM CTZ005>008.
NJ...DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM NJZ002.
NY...DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM NYZ067>070.
MARINE...SCA ALL WATERS...ANZ330-335-338-350-353-355.

TONGUE

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Hudson

When
May 1, 12:00 AM EST to May 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Hudson forecast zone
Reported by
OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY
Coordinates
40.731, -74.076 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Union

When
May 1, 12:00 AM EST to May 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Union forecast zone
Reported by
OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY

Drought, Essex

When
May 1, 12:00 AM EST to May 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Essex forecast zone
Reported by
OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY

Drought, Bergen

When
May 1, 12:00 AM EST to May 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Bergen forecast zone
Reported by
OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY

Drought, Eastern Passaic

When
May 1, 12:00 AM EST to May 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Eastern Passaic forecast zone
Reported by
OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY
Coordinates
41.034, -74.300 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Western Passaic

When
May 1, 12:00 AM EST to May 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Western Passaic forecast zone
Reported by
OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY
Coordinates
41.034, -74.300 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Drought
A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

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, May 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: 5296822, 5296823, 5296824, 5296825, 5296826, 5296827.