High Surf in New Jersey

Events

115

Deaths

8

Injuries

11

Damage

$130 million

• Flooding and Coastal Flood in New Jersey, October 28 to 31, 201227 deaths · 3 injured · $25 billion · 79 kt wind · 50 eventsPost Tropical Storm Sandy was the costliest natural disaster by far in the state of New Jersey. Record breaking high tides and wave action combined with sustained winds as high as 60 to 70 mph with wind gusts as high as around 90 mph to batter the state.
• Tropical Storm and Storm Surge in New Jersey, September 18 to 20, 20032 deaths · $8.0 million · 50 kt wind · 36 eventsTropical Storm Isabel produced strong power outage producing winds, moderate tidal flooding along the Delaware Bay and the Delaware River and erosion and rough surf along the shore. Two deaths were directly attributed to the storm.
• High Surf in New Jersey, August 29 to 31, 19962 deaths · 1 injured · 4 eventsRough surf, associated with Hurricane Edouard affected the New Jersey Coast around the Labor Day Weekend and caused two drownings and one serious injury. A 71-year-old man drowned the afternoon of the 29th when his boat capsized in the Great Egg Harbor Inlet off of Longport.
• Coastal Flood and High Wind in New Jersey, November 11 to 14, 2009$181 million · 51 kt wind · 20 eventsA powerful nor'easter produced wind gusts to nearly 60 mph, widespread moderate tidal flooding, heavy rain and severe beach erosion along the New Jersey coast from November 12th through the 14th. Initial damage estimates were placed at 180 million dollars.
• Flooding and Coastal Flood in New Jersey, September 1 to 5, 20062 injured · $5.0 million · 70 kt wind · 39 eventsThe combination of the remnants of Tropical Storm Ernnesto and a large high pressure system over eastern Canada produced heavy rain and flooding, strong and in some cases damaging winds, tidal flooding and beach erosion in New Jersey.
• High Surf in New Jersey, September 14, 20231 death · 2 injured · 1 eventSwells from passing Hurricane Lee resulted in dangerous conditions along the ocean waters. Waves were around 8-12 feet.
• High Surf in New Jersey, November 5 to 6, 20081 death · 4 eventsA nor'easter that developed off the Carolina coast on the night of the 4th caused a pounding surf and beach erosion along the New Jersey Coast on the 5th and 6th. It also claimed the life of a man in Monmouth County. At about 11 a.m.
• High Surf in New Jersey, September 2 to 4, 20101 death · 4 eventsHurricane Earl, which passed about 165 miles east of Atlantic City during the afternoon of September 3rd, generated large swells, heavy surf, enhanced rip currents and caused minor tidal flooding with the afternoon high tide on the 3rd.
• High Surf in New Jersey, March 4, 20021 death · 1 eventRough surf, that was caused by the weekend low pressure system, caused the drowning death of a lone surfer on Monday March 4th. The 28-year-old male surfer was surfing by himself off of the Lorraine Avenue Beach in Spring Lake. He disappeared about 4 p.m.
• High Surf in New Jersey, August 1, 20171 death · 1 eventA drowning occurred in Atlantic City Beach.
• Coastal Flood and High Surf in New Jersey, March 13, 2010$5.0 million · 9 eventsThe pounding surf and moderate to locally severe coastal flooding took its toll on the New Jersey coast. The tidal flooding in Monmouth County brought back memories of the December 1992 nor easter. Wave heights reached 7 to 9 feet.
• Coastal Flood and High Surf in New Jersey, February 12, 2006$900,000 · 14 eventsThe major winter storm that affected New Jersey also had a major impact on the New Jersey Shore. Strong onshore winds along with high tides produced coastal flooding along with beach erosion.
• High Wind and High Surf in New Jersey, September 10 to 11, 2009$314,000 · 53 kt wind · 17 eventsA low pressure system that formed off the Carolina coast on the 6th meandered slowly northeast into the 10th before it started to retrograde toward the Delaware and New Jersey coasts the night of the 10th.
• Coastal Flood and High Wind in New Jersey, November 22 to 23, 2006$60,000 · 50 kt wind · 18 eventsA northeaster brought heavy rain, strong winds, rough surf and tidal flooding to coastal areas of New Jersey on the 22nd and 23rd (Thanksgiving Day) and hit Cape May and Atlantic Counties the hardest. The rain and strong winds arrived together, just before sunrise on the 22nd.
• Coastal Flood and High Surf in New Jersey, November 3, 2007$70,000 · 14 eventsThe remnants of Hurricane Noel caused strong winds, minor tidal flooding and beach erosion along the New Jersey coast during the day on November 3rd. Peak wind gusts averaged around 45 mph.
• High Surf in New Jersey, August 3 to 4, 20045 injured · 4 eventsHeavy surf from swells generated by Hurricane Alex pounded the New Jersey coast, especially on the 3rd. At least four swimmers in Cape May and one swimmer in Atlantic City were hospitalized by injuries caused by the surf.
• Rip Currents and High Surf in New Jersey, August 21 to 24, 20092 injured · 8 eventsHurricane Bill passed well east of the Mid Atlantic coast during the 22nd, while a cold front was approaching from the west.
• Rip Currents and High Surf in New Jersey, August 29 to 30, 20091 injured · 8 eventsThe remnants of what once was Tropical Storm Danny passed east of the New Jersey Coast during the day on the 29th. In spite of this enhanced rip currents and heavy surf pounded the New Jersey coast for the second consecutive weekend (the 29th and 30th).
• Storm Surge and High Surf in New Jersey, October 21 to 25, 200414 eventsThe combination of a nearly stationary high pressure system over nearby Canada and low pressure systems over the western Atlantic produced six consecutive days of rough surf along the New Jersey shore from the 20th through the 25th.
• Storm Surge and High Surf in New Jersey, October 24 to 25, 200514 eventsThe combination of a developing northeaster and Hurricane Wilma caused moderate tidal flooding along both the ocean and Raritan Bay with the afternoon high tide on the 25th along coastal New Jersey. Large waves associated with both systems exacerbated the problem.
• Coastal Flood and High Surf in New Jersey, October 15 to 18, 200914 eventsA pair of nor'easters caused minor to moderate tidal flooding along the ocean and Delaware Bay from the evening high tide of the 15th into the morning high tide of the 19th and minor tidal flooding along the Delaware River from the morning of the 16th into the early afternoon of…
• Coastal Flood and High Surf in New Jersey, April 15 to 17, 200713 eventsThe nor'easter caused widespread minor with pockets of moderate tidal flooding along Delaware Bay, Raritan Bay and the Atlantic Ocean on the 15th and 16th. It also caused beach erosion.
• Storm Surge and High Surf in New Jersey, October 12 to 15, 200512 eventsA persistent onshore flow for nearly a week caused higher than normal tides and this culminated with pockets of moderate tidal flooding during the afternoon and evening high tides on the 12th and 13th.
• Coastal Flood and High Surf in New Jersey, December 16, 200710 eventsA 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.
• Storm Surge and High Surf in New Jersey, December 5 to 6, 20038 eventsA northeaster caused erosion, minor tidal flooding and dune damage along coastal New Jersey on the 5th and 6th.

High Surf everywhereEvery kind of event in New Jersey

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.