Flood, Western Ocean
- When
- February 7, 3:22 AM EST to 7:45 PM EST
- Where
- Western Ocean forecast zone
- Reported by
- AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
- Coordinates
- 39.866, -74.250 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flood in New Jersey, February 7, 2004
The combination of heavy rain and snow melt caused poor drainage flooding and eventually flooding along the Metedeconk River in Ocean County. Heavier rain fell from the late morning into the middle of the evening on the 6th.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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.
The combination of heavy rain and snow melt caused poor drainage flooding and eventually flooding along the Metedeconk River in Ocean County. Heavier rain fell from the late morning into the middle of the evening on the 6th. The North Branch of the Metedeconk River at Lakewood was above its 7 foot flood stage from 322 a.m. through 745 p.m. EST on the 7th. It crested at 7.34 feet at 1015 a.m. EST. Storm totals included 1.36 inches in Beach Haven. The low pressure system responsible for the heavy rain developed in the western Gulf of Mexico on the 5th. It moved northeast reaching the Tennessee Valley on the evening of the 5th and into the Great Lakes on the morning of the 6th. Its associated warm front moved north from the Carolinas on the morning of the 6th into the lower Delmarva Peninsula during the afternoon of the 6th before stalling. The occluded front associated with the primary low pressure system (It went northeast from the Great Lakes through the Saint Lawrence River Valley) moved through the region during the evening of the 6th and ended the rain. Precipitation initially started as a wintry mix after Midnight EST on the 6th and changed over to plain rain by around sunrise on the 6th.
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 Feb 6, 9:00 PM EST, 6 hours 22 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 6, 9:00 PM EST, 6 hours 22 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 900 PM EST FRI FEB 6 2004 DISC: THE HEAVIEST RAINS ARE MOVING OFFSHORE BUT STILL A FEW HOURS OF MODERATE LEFT FOR THE EASTERN PART OF CFA. FOR THAT REASON...WHILE FLOOD WATCHES WILL BE LOWERED...AN URBAN FLOOD ADVISORY WILL CONTINUE FOR THE EASTERN AREAS BECAUSE OF THE FAST RUNOFF ONTO HIGHWAYS AND SMALL STREAMS BUT EXPIRE AROUND MIDNIGHT. ANY ADDITIONAL FLOODS OF LARGER STREAMS AND CREEKS BEING HANDLED WITH FLOOD WARNINGS AND MANY OF THEN ARE EXPECTED TO CREST LATER THIS EVENING OR IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF SATURDAY. ON THE WINTRY SIDE...SOME TREES ARE BENDING TO THE GROUND FROM THE ICE ACROSS THE HIGHEST PARTS OF MONROE COUNTY AND I SUSPECT EVEN IN CARBON COUNTY. ADDING TO THE PROBLEM WITH SLICK ROADS IS FOG SO THAT WILL BE REFLECTED IN THE UPDATED FORECAST. QPF WITH THE OVERNIGHT SYSTEM COULD BE ON THE ORDER OF .15-.20. AS WE WATCH THE MAIN AREA OF PRECIP EXIT OVERNIGHT...ANOTHER AREA OF BLOSSOMING PCPN IS SHOWING UP OVER THE WVA PANHANDLE TO WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND THIS MAY EXTEND THE WINTRY PROBLEMS OVERNIGHT FOR THE POCONOS INTO NORTHWESTERN NJ. GOOD COLAB WITH MJ FROM BGM BRINGS CONSENSUS INTO PLAY WITH SOME FREEZING RAIN FOR A FEW HOURS AND A CHANGEOVER TO SNOW OF SEVERAL INCHES BEFORE ENDING AFTER DAYBREAK. SO THE WARNINGS W/B EXTENDED IN THE POCONOS AND ADVISORIES RAISED FOR A FEW NORTHWESTERN NJ COUNTIES. SUPPORTING STATEMENTS IN PROCESS OF BEING FINALIZED AS ARE THE ZONES. AS MENTIONED ABV HYDRO PROBLEMS WILL CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS AND EVEN THOUGH THE PCPN IS PULLING AWAY ANYONE LIVING NEAR THOSE FLOOD PRONE AREAS SHOULD ATTEMPT TO CHECK THE LEVEL OF THE STREAM OR CREEK NEAR YOU BEFORE GOING TO SLEEP. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES ARE UP EVERYWHERE NOW AND WAITING FOR NWESTERLIES TO SET IN OVERNIGHT WITH THE COLD AIR ADVECTION. LAST NIGHT WHEN I UPDATED...CAME BACK WITH ANOTHER ONE IN LESS THAN AN HOUR. DONT THINK SO THIS TIME. ANYWAYS...SEE YA AND HAVE A GREAT NIGHT BUT DO DRIVE VERY CAREFULLY IN THE WARNING AND ADVISORY AREA...AND DONT DRIVE THROUGH FLOOD WATERS ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. EBERWINE (THANKS MJ) ********* TEMPS HAVE WARMED TO ABOVE FRZG OVER ENTIRE CWA EXCEPT SOME HIGHER ELEVS IN THE FAR NW. WE WILL KEEP WS WARNING FOR ICE INTO THE EVENING FOR CARBON/MONROE COUNTIES ONLY. REGIONAL RADAR LOOP INCDCS SEVERAL MORE HOURS OF MODERATE RAIN ACROSS OUR AREA...ON TOP OF ABOUT 1.0 TO 1.5 INCHES THAT HAS ALREADY FALLEN AS OF 21Z. SEVERAL FLOOD WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT. FLOOD WATCH WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EVENINGS FOR MUCH OF OUR CWA. && .DISCUSSION... RAIN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF THE EVENING BUT THEN WILL TAPER OFF FROM W TO E AFTER MIDNIGHT...AS WEAK SFC LOW NOW OVER NJ DEEPENS AND SHIFTS NEWD...AND ASSOCD TRAILLING FNTL BNDRY IS PULLED EWD. HWVR...UPR TROF WILL REMAIN OVER US TMRW AND TMRW NIGHT...THUS CSDRBL CLDNS WILL CONT WITH PSBLY SOME FLURRIES FAR NW. CLOUDS AND FAIRLY STG CD ADVCTN TMRW WILL KEEP DAYTIME TEMPS FROM RISING A LOT BUT HI/S SHOULD BE TOLERABLE FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. FAIR WX IS EXPECTED TO PERSIST FOR REMAINDER OF THE WEEKEND AND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. .EXTENDED... REL WEAK UPR SYS COULD AFFECT US AROUND MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK BUT AS OF NOW IT DOESNT SEEM LIKELY TO BE ABLE TO PICK UP MUCH MSTR OR GENERATE MUCH PRECIP. EARLIER GFS RUN HAS SHOWED A FRNT WAVE MOVG BY TO OUR S ON WED AND POSSILBY BRINGING SOME MSRBL RAIN OR SNOW. HWVR...SUBSEQUENT RUNS HAVE TAKEN THE WAVE FARTHER S WITH LITTLE AFFECT ON US. STAY TUNED... && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... MPO 27 31 14 25 / 70 20 10 0 ABE 32 39 20 33 / 70 20 10 0 RDG 33 40 21 33 / 70 20 10 0 PHL 34 44 26 35 / 90 10 10 0 12N 29 33 9 25 / 50 30 20 10 SMQ 31 41 20 34 / 80 20 10 0 TTN 34 42 22 34 / 90 20 10 0 MIV 37 45 22 38 / 90 10 10 0 N55 39 44 28 38 / 90 10 10 0 ACY 38 45 23 38 / 90 10 10 0 ILG 36 42 25 35 / 90 10 10 0 DOV 36 45 26 38 / 90 10 10 0 GED 40 45 26 38 / 90 10 10 0 && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...WINTER STORM WARNINGS 054-055 AND ADVISORY FOR 062. NJ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY 001-007-008. DE...NONE. MD...NONE. MARINE/OCEAN...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY. MARINE/DEL BAY...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY. && AMC
Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 6, 5:25 AM EST, 21 hours 57 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 525 AM EST FRI FEB 6 2004 DEZ001>004-MDZ008-012-015-019-020-NJZ001-007>010-012>027-PAZ054-055- 060>062-067>071-061215- ATLANTIC NJ-ATLANTIC COASTAL CAPE MAY NJ-BERKS PA-BUCKS PA-CAMDEN NJ- CAPE MAY NJ-CARBON PA-CAROLINE MD-CECIL MD-CHESTER PA- COASTAL ATLANTIC NJ-COASTAL OCEAN NJ-CUMBERLAND NJ-DELAWARE PA- DELAWARE BEACHES DE-EASTERN MONMOUTH NJ-GLOUCESTER NJ-HUNTERDON NJ- INLAND SUSSEX DE-KENT MD-KENT DE-LEHIGH PA-MERCER NJ-MIDDLESEX NJ- MONROE PA-MONTGOMERY PA-MORRIS NJ-NEW CASTLE DE-NORTHAMPTON PA- NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON NJ-OCEAN NJ-PHILADELPHIA PA-QUEEN ANNES MD- SALEM NJ-SOMERSET NJ-SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON NJ-SUSSEX NJ-TALBOT MD- WARREN NJ-WESTERN MONMOUTH NJ- 525 AM EST FRI FEB 6 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA...DELAWARE...THE NORTHERN MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE...AND NEW JERSEY EXCLUDING THE FIVE NORTHEAST COUNTIES. .DAY ONE...TODAY A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE LEHIGH VALLEY IN PENNSYLVANIA AND WARREN COUNTY IN NEW JERSEY THIS MORNING... AND FOR THE SOUTHERN POCONOS IN PENNSYLVANIA AND SUSSEX COUNTY IN NEW JERSEY INTO THE AFTERNOON. SOUTH OF THE WARNING AREA... EXCEPT FOR CAPE MAY COUNTY AND COASTAL ZONES IN NEW JERSEY AND SUSSEX COUNTY IN DELAWARE...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT THIS MORNING FOR FREEZING RAIN. A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THIS AFTERNOON INTO SATURDAY FOR NORTHERN DELAWARE, EXTREME NORTHEASTERN MARYLAND, SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA, AND MUCH OF SOUTHWESTERN AND CENTRAL NEW JERSEY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... ANOTHER STORM COULD AFFECT THE REGION TUESDAY AFTERNOON INTO WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO CALL IN REPORTS OF FREEZING PRECIPITATION AND SNOW AMOUNTS. RPW
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- Flood
- Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Rip Current in California, February 7, 2004
- Flooding in Pennsylvania, February 7, 2004
- Heavy Snow in Idaho, February 7, 2004
- Heavy Snow in Tennessee, February 7 to 8, 2004
- Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, February 7 to 9, 2004
- Winter Weather in North Carolina, February 7 to 8, 2004
- Heavy Snow in North Carolina, February 7 to 8, 2004
- Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, February 7 to 9, 2004
- Heavy Snow in Nevada, February 7, 2004
- Flooding in Virginia, February 7 to 9, 2004
- Winter Weather in Colorado, February 7 to 8, 2004
- Flood in New Jersey, February 7, 2004
More
Every storm in New Jersey in 2004Every state in 2004This day in weather historyWarnings in New Jersey, February 2004
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: 5392834.