Rip Current in New Jersey

Events

135

Deaths

59

Injuries

83

Damage

None recorded

• Rip Currents in New Jersey, June 15 to 18, 20174 deaths · 1 injured · 3 eventsMeteorological conditions were favorable for moderate to high rip current conditions from the 15th through the 18th. Unfortunately, four people died due to rip currents and one other person was injured.
• Rip Currents in New Jersey, September 3, 20233 deaths · 12 injured · 3 eventsBreaking waves around 3 to 5 feet, multiple swell groups from offshore Hurricane Franklin and Idalia, and a dominant long period onshore swell resulted in dangerous rip currents at the New Jersey shore. A HIGH risk for rip currents was in effect.
• Rip Currents in New Jersey, July 12 to 16, 20083 deaths · 4 eventsEnhanced rip currents caused by swells from Hurricane Bertha resulted in three deaths along the New Jersey coast on the weekend of July 12th and 13th. The rip currents and strong surf caused many water rescues and led to bathing restrictions.
• Rip Currents in New Jersey, September 8 to 10, 20222 deaths · 1 injured · 2 eventsA prolonged period of onshore flow combined with 3-5 foot breaking waves resulted in dangerous rip currents developing over a 6 day stretch. Enhanced wave heights were due to Hurricane Earl passing well offshore.
• Rip Currents in New Jersey, June 20, 20122 deaths · 4 eventsMore frequent and stronger than average rip currents claimed the lives of two men and caused dozens of rescues along New Jersey beaches on the 20th. Both drownings occurred after lifeguards left for the day.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in New Jersey, July 13 to 17, 20171 death · $40 · 1 in hail · 34 eventsA hot and humid airmass was present ahead of a frontal boundary which slowly moved southeast toward and then through the state. Several rounds of thunderstorms moved through the region ahead of this front over the course of a few days. 2,800 people lost power in Ocean county.
• Rip Current in New Jersey, May 29, 20121 death · 4 injured · 1 eventA 24-year-old man drowned after believed to have been caught in a rip current in Bradley Beach (Monmouth County) and was pronounced dead at 7 p.m. EDT on the 29th. He drowned while swimming south of a jetty in the waters off of Brinley Avenue Beach in Bradley Beach.
• Tropical Storm and Flash Flooding in New Jersey, July 10, 20201 death · 28 eventsTropical Storm Fay moved northward along the coasts of Delaware and New Jersey on the afternoon and evening of July 10. The storm produced rainfall totals up to 3 to 6 inches in New Jersey, with the highest totals occurring in the southern part of the state.
• Rip Currents in New Jersey, August 2, 20171 death · 3 injured · 2 eventsA man was overcome by a large wave and could not return to the surface. He died at the hospital the next day.
• Rip Current in New Jersey, September 7, 20081 death · 3 injured · 1 eventStrong rip currents on September 7th claimed the life of a 38-year-old man and led to multiple rescues along Monmouth County beaches that day. A 38-year-old male was caught in a rip current off the Newark Avenue Beach in Spring Lake during the afternoon.
• Rip Current in New Jersey, May 31, 20221 death · 3 injured · 1 eventA group of four swimmers was caught in a rip current off of a Wildwood, NJ beach late in the afternoon of May 31. Weather conditions were hot and dry, with relatively calm seas. The risk for rip currents was considered low. The beach was unguarded at the time.
• Rip Current in New Jersey, August 11, 20251 death · 3 injured · 1 eventMultiple days of onshore flow had resulted in elevated rip current risk across the region. There had been a moderate or high risk from July 31 through August 12. Several area beach patrols reported a much higher than average number of rescues.
• Rip Current in New Jersey, August 9, 20161 death · 2 injured · 1 eventRip currents were vigorous during the first half of August. Rescues were numerous including 60 people near Atlantic city on the 3rd and 4th. rescues for the 2nd and 3rd occurred at Harvey Ceders and Sea Girt.
• Rip Current in New Jersey, July 1 to 2, 20001 death · 1 injured · 1 eventA 47-year-old man drowned while trying to rescue two girls from a riptide at Island Beach State Park on July 1st. This was part of the state park that does not have lifeguards on duty. A 7-year-old and a 8-year-old were caught in a riptide.
• Rip Current in New Jersey, September 7 to 8, 20051 death · 1 injured · 1 eventRip currents caused by swells from Hurricanes Maria and Nate claimed the life of one man and seriously injured a 62-year-old woman. The 28-year-old male construction worker drowned off Ocean Bay Boulevard in Dover Township's Ocean Beach Shores section on September 8th.
• Rip Current in New Jersey, August 1, 20081 death · 1 injured · 1 eventA 19-year-old man drowned off an unguarded portion on the northern part of Island Beach State Park in Ocean County on the morning of August 1st. His 57-year-old father was unable to rescue him. His father had to be hospitalized after barely making it out of the water.
• Rip Current in New Jersey, June 9, 20111 death · 1 injured · 1 eventA 15-year-old boy drowned after getting caught in a rip current near a jetty in Bradley Beach in Monmouth County during the late afternoon on the 9th. Two other people were also caught in the same rip current.
• Rip Current in New Jersey, August 15, 20251 death · 1 injured · 1 eventA rip current is suspected to have developed at a jetty on Belmar Beach on the evening of Friday, August 15, 2025.
• Rip Currents in New Jersey, August 31, 20101 death · 2 eventsA rip current claimed the life of a 23-year-old man on August 31st in Asbury Park (Monmouth County). The man was last seen swimming swimming at the Second Avenue Beach about 530 p.m. EDT on the 31st.
• Rip Current in New Jersey, August 16, 19981 death · 1 eventA 45-year-old male drowned the morning of August 16th when he was unable to swim back to shore. The man was swimming with his 13-year-old son at about 8 a.m. EDT before lifeguards were on duty. The two were reportedly pulled far from the shore by an ocean current.
• Rip Current in New Jersey, May 29, 20001 death · 1 eventRough surf and rip currents caused by a slow moving low pressure off the North Carolina coast claimed the life of a 17-year-old male who went swimming in the water in Seaside Heights.
• Rip Current in New Jersey, June 16, 20021 death · 1 eventA 31-year-old man drowned while trying to rescue his daughter and son and two other children who were caught in a rip current on the Brinley Avenue Beach in Bradley Beach. A second 19-year-old man who also was trying to help was rescued.
• Rip Current in New Jersey, September 29, 20021 death · 1 eventRip currents helped claim the life of a 37-year-old man in Avon. The man was swimming alone and standing on a sandbar when a wave knocked him over. Rescuers had a hard time fighting the currents to save him.
• Rip Current in New Jersey, July 5, 20031 death · 1 eventA 33-year-old man drowned near a jetty along the 8th Avenue Beach in Belmar (Monmouth County). He went swimming with three friends prior to the arrival of the beach patrols on the morning of the 5th.
• Rip Current in New Jersey, July 22, 20051 death · 1 eventA 50-year-old male surfer drowned after he became trapped by a rip current in Wildwood Crest. A fellow surfer tried to rescue him. The beach patrol pulled the unconscious male from the water, but he could not be resuscitated.

Rip Current 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.