New Jersey, 2007

Coastal Flood and High Surf in New Jersey, December 16, 2007

December 16, 2007 · NWS PHI · 10 events in 6 counties and zones

A strong area of high pressure was anchored over southeastern Canada on December 15th. This high gradually moved eastward during the day, however it wedged itself down into the Mid Atlantic region, which is known as cold air damming.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 10 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
10

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 strong area of high pressure was anchored over southeastern Canada on December 15th. This high gradually moved eastward during the day, however it wedged itself down into the Mid Atlantic region, which is known as cold air damming. Meanwhile, a storm system became more organized across the Gulf Coast states. This storm tracked northeastward from the 15th to the 16th. As the main storm tracked into Ohio on the 16th, a secondary area of low pressure developed near southern Delaware during that morning. This produced a strong onshore flow for a time on the 16th, which resulted in some areas of beach erosion and minor coastal flooding around Noon EST at the neap tides. Some roads were closed along the Monmouth County coast at the times of high tide. The storm system moved away from the area during the overnight hours of the 16th. No additional tidal flooding occurred with subsequent high tides.

In Monmouth County, minor beach erosion (1 to 3 foot vertical cuts) occurred in Sea Bright and from Ocean Grove south through Manasquan. In Ocean County, erosion was reported in Harvey Cedars, Surf City and Holgate. Harvey Cedars reported the worst erosion with vertical cuts reaching 3 to 4 feet. No beach erosion was reported in Atlantic County. In Cape May County, minor erosion (1 to 2 foot vertical cuts) were reported around Cape May City and on the Delaware Bay side of the county.

The high tides reached 7.40 feet above mean lower low at Sandy Hook (Monmouth County) and 6.72 feet above mean lower low water at Cape May (Cape May County). Minor flooding was reported along Reeds Beach in Middle Township (Cape May County). Minor tidal flooding begins at 6.7 feet above mean lower low water.

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 Dec 15, 10:30 PM EST, 1 hour 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 15, 10:30 PM EST, 1 hour 30 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 15, 4:33 PM EST, 7 hours 27 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Dec 15, 6:35 PM EST, 5 hours 25 minutes before
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 coastal flood, 4 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Eastern Monmouth

When
December 16, 12:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Eastern Monmouth forecast zone
Reported by
County Official
Coordinates
40.288, -74.158 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Eastern Ocean

When
December 16, 12:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Eastern Ocean forecast zone
Reported by
County Official
Coordinates
39.866, -74.250 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Eastern Cape May

When
December 16, 12:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Eastern Cape May forecast zone
Reported by
County Official
Coordinates
39.085, -74.850 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Western Cape May

When
December 16, 12:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Western Cape May forecast zone
Reported by
County Official
Coordinates
39.085, -74.850 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Coastal Flood, Western Monmouth

When
December 16, 10:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where
Western Monmouth forecast zone
Reported by
C-MAN Station
Coordinates
40.288, -74.158 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Coastal Flood, Eastern Monmouth

When
December 16, 10:30 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where
Eastern Monmouth forecast zone
Reported by
C-MAN Station
Coordinates
40.288, -74.158 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Coastal Flood, Eastern Ocean

When
December 16, 11:30 AM EST to 1:30 PM EST
Where
Eastern Ocean forecast zone
Reported by
C-MAN Station
Coordinates
39.866, -74.250 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Coastal Flood, Eastern Atlantic

When
December 16, 12:30 PM EST to 1:30 PM EST
Where
Eastern Atlantic forecast zone
Reported by
C-MAN Station
Coordinates
39.469, -74.634 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Coastal Flood, Eastern Cape May

When
December 16, 12:30 PM EST to 1:30 PM EST
Where
Eastern Cape May forecast zone
Reported by
C-MAN Station
Coordinates
39.085, -74.850 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Coastal Flood, Western Cape May

When
December 16, 12:30 PM EST to 2:30 PM EST
Where
Western Cape May forecast zone
Reported by
C-MAN Station
Coordinates
39.085, -74.850 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Surf
Large waves breaking on the shore that caused damage, erosion or casualties.
Coastal Flood
Flooding of coastal land by the sea, from storm surge, onshore wind or high tides.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in New Jersey in 2007Every state in 2007This day in weather historyWarnings in New Jersey, December 2007

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 68535, 68536, 68537, 68538, 68529, 68530, 68531, 68532, 68533, 68534.