Flood in New Jersey, November 28, 2004

Name: Flood in New Jersey, November 28, 2004
Start: 2004-11-28T10:30
End: 2004-11-28T18:30
Location: New Jersey

November 28, 2004 · NWS OKX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Cooperative Observers reported a roof collapse on Route 4 in Fort Lee at 8:30 am and a large tree fell into a house on Hillside Avenue in Paramus at 9:25 am. Trained spotters reported downed trees in Montvale, large tree limbs and wires were downed in the town of Glen Rock around 10:15 am.

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 OKX wrote it up.

With a strong high pressure system northeast of New England, a cold front moved northeast toward the region.The combination of strong winds and heavy rain caused both wind damage and flooding of urban areas, small streams, and rivers.Cooperative Observers reported a roof collapse on Route 4 in Fort Lee at 8:30 am and a large tree fell into a house on Hillside Avenue in Paramus at 9:25 am. Trained spotters reported downed trees in Montvale, large tree limbs and wires were downed in the town of Glen Rock around 10:15 am. Peak wind gusts ranged from 35 to 45 mph across the area.The heaviest rain fell west of the Garden State Parkway across Northwest Bergen County, where most Storm Total Rainfall amounts ranged from 1.5 to around 2 inches. Trained spotters reported several streets flooded in Mahwah and Wyckoff. Stag Hill Road in Mahwah was flooded in numerous locations. Several locations along Wyckoff Avenue between Mahwah and Wyckoff was flooded. Franklin Turnpike from Fox Lane in Mahwah, NJ to Washington Ave. in Suffern, NY was closed due to flooding. The Mahwah River overflowed its' banks across North Railroad Ave in Mahwah. The river was above its' flood stage of 4.0 feet at Suffern, NY from approximately 2 pm until 6:30 pm.

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 Nov 28, 9:40 AM EST, 50 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 28, 9:40 AM EST, 50 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE UPTON NY
940 AM EST SUN NOV 28 2004

.SHORT TERM (TODAY AND TONIGHT)...
EARLY UPDATE THIS MORNING TO REISSUE WIND ADVISORY FOR REMAINDER OF
CWA (LI ALREADY OUT TIL 22Z).  SOUTHERN CT CWA TIL 22Z...WESTERN CWA
TIL 19Z.  BASED ON AIRPORT OBS BEING EVER-SO-SLIGHTLY BELOW CRITERIA
AND SEVERAL NJ/NYC AREA SPOTTER REPORTS OF GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 40
KT...DECIDED TO REISSUE.  HIGHER ELEVATIONS IN NNJ AND LOWER HUDSON
AND PLACES LIKE NYC WHERE WINDS CAN FUNNEL MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO
ADVISORY CRITERIA WINDS.

ALL OF THIS ONLY FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS AND GRADIENT WILL
SLACKEN AS LO OFF CAROLINA COAST CONTINUES TO MOVE N THEN NE...AND
COLD FRONT GETS INTO AREA.  EXPECT A PERIOD OF LIGHTER WINDS...THEN
WINDS SHOULD PICK UP AGAIN SOMEWHAT BEHIND COLD FRONT IN CAA...
THOUGH BELOW ADVISORY CRITERIA.

NARROW BANDS OF CONVECTION MOVING THROUGH NJ AT THIS TIME...WILL
HAVE TO WATCH FOR ENHANCED GUST POTENTIAL.

UPPED TEMPS A BIT FROM PREVIOUS GRIDS...OTHERWISE CHANGES TO
PREVIOUS DATABASE MOSTLY FOR WINDS AS DISCUSSED ABOVE.

...REMAINDER SHORT TERM UNCHANGED FROM 335 AM...
UPPER TROUGH AND SURFACE LOW CONTINUE TO MOVE TO THE NORTHEAST AND
TIMING OF THE ENDING OF THE RAIN STILL BY LATE THIS EVENING...05Z
ACROSS FORECAST AREA. WESTERLY FLOW DEVELOPS AND RIDGE BUILDS IN
WITH RAPID CLEARING ONCE THE PRECIPITATION ENDS.
&&

.LONG TERM (MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY)...UNCHANGED FROM 335 AM...
WEAK SHORTWAVE MOVES THROUGH THE REGION MONDAY NIGHT WITH HIGH
PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE...WITH LIMITED MOISTURE ONLY LOOKING AT A
PERIOD OF CLOUDINESS.

SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN STREAMS PHASE TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY WITH
NEXT WAVE MOVING THROUGH. THIS IS A BIT FASTER AND WILL BEGIN AND
END THE PRECIPITATION ABOUT 6 HOURS SOONER. WARM ENOUGH AHEAD OF THE
SYSTEM TO BEGIN THE PRECIPITATION AS ALL LIQUID AS LOW LEVEL
THICKNESS AND TEMPERATURES DO NOT SUPPORT A START AS FROZEN
PRECIPITATION...BUT AS COLDER AIR MOVES INTO THE AREA BEHIND THE
LOW...WILL INTRODUCE MIXED RAIN AND SNOW ACROSS INLAND LOCATIONS.

SHORTWAVE MOVES INTO CANADIAN MARITIMES THURSDAY...BUT BROAD
UPPER TROUGH REMAINS OVER THE NORTHEAST. COLD ADVECTION CONTINUES
INTO THU NIGHT. A COUPLE OF WEAK SHORTWAVES ROTATE AROUND THE UPPER
LOW FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...WITH WEAK CLIPPER SYSTEMS MOVING THROUGH
THE NORTHEAST.
&&

.AVIATION...
WINDS SHOULD BE THE BIGGEST PROBLEM BEING FACED TODAY AS A STIFF
SOUTHEASTERLY FLOW PREVAILS. SUSTAINED WINDS AROUND 25 KT WITH GUSTS
AROUND 35 TO 40 KT SEEM REASONABLE TO EXPECT FOR THE BULK OF THE
DAY. STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE RIGHT ALONG THE SHORE.

LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR CAN BE EXPECTED AS WELL TODAY AS A STRONG LOW
LEVEL JET AROUND 55 KT WILL BE PRESENT THROUGH THE BULK OF THE DAY.
THESE WINDS...SURFACE AND ALOFT...LESSEN FOR A BIT AS THE FRONTAL
BOUNDARY SLIDES THROUGH LATE IN THE DAY...BUT THEN PICK UP AGAIN IN
THE COLD AIR ADVECTION IN ITS WAKE.

CIGS AND VSBY SHOULD STAY AROUND MVFR CONDITIONS EXCEPT FOR A BRIEF
PERIOD OF IFR WITH THE HEAVIER RAINS THIS AFTERNOON. BOTH CIGS AND
VSBY IMPROVE TO VFR BY DARK OR SHORTLY THEREAFTER.
&&

.MARINE...
GALES TO REMAIN UP FOR ALL WATERS FOR MUCH OF TODAY MAINLY FOR
FREQUENT GUSTS TO 35 OR 40 KTS.  ALSN6 IS 38G42 LAST HOUR...OTHER
BUOYS ARE ACTUALLY JUST BELOW GALES BUT EXPECT TO COME BACK UP A BIT
FOR AT LEAST A SHORT TIME.  WILL REASSESS HOW LONG TO KEEP GALES UP
LATER TODAY.
&&

.HYDROLOGY...
RAINFALL OF 1 TO 1 1/2 INCHES ACROSS THE AREA TODAY AND INTO THE
EVENING. THE HEAVIEST RAIN IS EXPECTED LATE THIS MORNING INTO LATE
AFTERNOON. NO WIDESPREAD PROBLEMS EXPECTED...BUT A PERIOD OF URBAN
AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING POSSIBLE THIS MORNING AND AFTERNOON WITH
HEAVIEST RAIN.

DRY WEATHER LATER TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. A PERIOD OF WET
WEATHER WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT...NO PROBLEMS ARE EXPECTED.
&&

.OKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CT...NONE.
NJ...NONE.
NY...WIND ADVISORY TIL 19Z...NYZ067>076-NJZ002>006-011.
     WIND ADVISORY TIL 22Z...NYZ077>081...CTZ005>012.
MARINE...GALE WARNING...ANZ338-330-335-350-353-355.

&&

TEAM OKX...
REYNOLDS/SILVA/VAZ/WALTERS

Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 28, 10:25 AM EST, 5 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE UPTON NY
1025 AM EST SUN NOV 28 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST NEW YORK...
NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY AND SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT.

CTZ005>012-291100-
NORTHERN FAIRFIELD CT-NORTHERN MIDDLESEX CT-NORTHERN NEW HAVEN CT-
NORTHERN NEW LONDON CT-SOUTHERN FAIRFIELD CT-SOUTHERN MIDDLESEX CT-
SOUTHERN NEW HAVEN CT-SOUTHERN NEW LONDON CT-
1025 AM EST SUN NOV 28 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT.

.DAY ONE...TODAY
A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT TODAY THROUGH 500 PM EST. STRONG AND
GUSTY WINDS WITH AVERAGE 25 TO 35 MPH AND GUSTS OVER 45 MPH.

A GALE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR LONG ISLAND SOUND FOR THIS AFTERNOON
AND INTO TONIGHT. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS ARE ANTICIPATED
FOR LONG ISLAND SOUND FOR TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTERS SHOULD FORWARD ANY DAMAGE REPORTS TO THE NWS.

NO FURTHER ACTIVATIONS ARE ANTICIPATED AFTER THIS AFTERNOON.

NJZ002>006-011-NYZ067>076-291100-
BERGEN NJ-BRONX NY-EASTERN PASSAIC NJ-ESSEX NJ-HUDSON NJ-
KINGS (BROOKLYN) NY-NEW YORK (MANHATTAN) NY-NORTHERN WESTCHESTER NY-
ORANGE NY-PUTNAM NY-QUEENS NY-RICHMOND (STATEN IS.) NY-ROCKLAND NY-
SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER NY-UNION NJ-WESTERN PASSAIC NJ-
1025 AM EST SUN NOV 28 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST NEW YORK
EXCEPT FOR LONG ISLAND...AND FOR NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY.

.DAY ONE...TODAY
A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT TODAY THROUGH 200 PM EST. STRONG AND
GUSTY WINDS WITH AVERAGE 25 TO 35 MPH AND GUSTS OVER 45 MPH.

A GALE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL THE AREA WATERS TODAY. A GALE
WARNING WILL CONTINUE TONIGHT ON THE OCEAN WITH A SMALL CRAFT
ADVISORY FOR LONG ISLAND SOUND AND NEW YORK HARBOR.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

SMALL CRAFT CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED ON THE OCEAN WATERS MONDAY INTO
MONDAY EVENING.  OTHERWISE...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS
TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS SHOULD FORWARD ANY DAMAGE REPORTS TO THE NWS.

NO FURTHER ACTIVATIONS ARE ANTICIPATED AFTER THIS AFTERNOON.

NYZ077>081-281523-
NASSAU NY-NORTHEAST SUFFOLK NY-NORTHWEST SUFFOLK NY-
SOUTHEAST SUFFOLK NY-SOUTHWEST SUFFOLK NY-
1025 AM EST SUN NOV 28 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR LONG ISLAND.

.DAY ONE...TODAY
A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT TODAY THROUGH 500 PM EST. STRONG AND
GUSTY WINDS WITH AVERAGE 25 TO 35 MPH AND GUSTS OVER 45 MPH.

A GALE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL THE AREA WATERS TODAY. A GALE
WARNING WILL CONTINUE TONIGHT ON THE OCEAN WITH A SMALL CRAFT
ADVISORY FOR LONG ISLAND SOUND.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

SMALL CRAFT CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED ON THE OCEAN WATERS MONDAY INTO
MONDAY EVENING.  OTHERWISE...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS
TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS SHOULD FORWARD ANY DAMAGE REPORTS TO THE NWS.

NO FURTHER ACTIVATIONS ARE ANTICIPATED AFTER THIS AFTERNOON.

REYNOLDS

Event by event

1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Bergen

When: November 28, 10:30 AM EST to 6:30 PM EST
Where: Bergen forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

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

Every storm in New Jersey in 2004 Every state in 2004 This day in weather history Warnings in New Jersey, November 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: 5427798.