May 15, 2018 Tsunami: Northeast U.S.A., United States
A tsunami of meteorological origin began at Northeast U.S.A., United States on May 15, 2018. The water rose as high as 0.22 meters. Its effects were recorded at 10 places.
Where the waves reached
The source (white) and every runup with a place, colored by the water height recorded there. A ring is a runup NCEI marks doubtful.
- Under 1 m
- 1 to 3 m
- 3 to 10 m
- 10 to 30 m
- 30 m and more
- Height not recorded
The tsunami
- Date
- May 15, 2018
- Source
- Northeast U.S.A., United States
- Cause
- Meteorological
- Maximum water height
- 0.22 m (0.7 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 10
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Definite tsunami
The toll
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million) with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
A large-scale squall line of severe thunderstorms, or derecho, raced through parts of the Northeast on May 15, 2018. The storm system stretched 470 miles from western Pennsylvania to southern New England to Maryland and persisted over approximately eight hours, beginning around midday and continuing through early evening. The powerful storm caused extensive wind damage, hail, and also produced nine tornadoes in Connecticut, New York, and Pennsylvania. As the storm tracked southeast across southern Connecticut and Long Island (~2100-2300 UTC May 15th), 3 to 5.5mb pressure rises in 5 to 20 minutes were observed. Weather-induced wave activity was observed locally on the tide gauges in Long Island Sound. The storm also generated a small meteotsunami off the Long Island/New Jersey coastline which was measured (4cm) on the deep ocean DART buoy at 2330 UTC May 15. The storm front then moved south across Maryland and Southern New Jersey (2300UTC May 15 to 0400 UTC May 16), slowing as it did so. Pressure rises were on the order of 1-2mb in 20-40 minutes. Weather-induced wave activity was observed locally on the tide gauges in Chesapeake Bay as persistent southwesterly winds (up the bay) ahead of the storm front abruptly shifted to northerly. (reference #12171)
Every runup
Nearest the source first. Heights are above sea level at the time; a tide gauge reads half the wave’s full height.
| Where | Country | Km from source | Water height, m | Inland, m | Measured by | First wave, UTC | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annapolis, MD, MD | United States | 0.06 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | ||||
| Atlantic City, NJ, NJ | United States | 0.15 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | ||||
| Baltimore, MD, MD | United States | 0.08 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | ||||
| Bishops Head, MD, MD | United States | 0.08 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | ||||
| Bridgeport, CT, CT | United States | 0.14 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | ||||
| Kings Point, NY, NY | United States | 0.13 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | ||||
| Lewes, DE, DE | United States | 0.19 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | ||||
| New Haven, CT, CT | United States | 0.22 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | ||||
| Cambridge, MD, MD | United States | 0.07 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) | ||||
| D44402 Bpr, 130 NM SE Fire Is, NY, NY | United States | 0.04 | Deep ocean gauge (half the maximum wave height) |
More
Every tsunami in 2018The 2000sTsunamis of United StatesThis day in weather historyAlerts in force
Sources
Tsunami events and runups from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI tsunami event 5683.