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NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Belleville, NJ

Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.

Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated

44 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Belleville, New Jersey since 1851, 7 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ida in 2021. Since 1950, 55 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
7

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
37

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
55

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
1

1 deaths in all

What the records show for Belleville

The strongest storm to pass near Belleville was an unnamed storm in 1938, a Category 3 hurricane with 120 mph winds when its centre passed 66 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1893, whose centre came within 15 miles. The record near Belleville begins with an unnamed storm in 1861; the most recent system was Ida in 2021, a tropical storm 38 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1890s, with 5 systems, 2 of them at hurricane strength. Of the 44 systems, 7 have come since 2000. Of the 455 New Jersey cities on this site, 46% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Belleville. The strongest of the 55 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F3 on May 28, 1973; its path came within 18 miles. The deadliest, an EF1 on September 16, 2010, killed 1 person. Of the 55, 4 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 18 have come since 2000. July has had the most tornadoes, 18. The most recent tornado was on June 26, 2023. Belleville has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 50% of the 455 New Jersey cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 99 times since 1962, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Belleville has more hail reports within 10 miles than 82% of the 455 New Jersey cities.

Compare Belleville's storm record with another city →

Tropical storms and hurricanes near Belleville

Tropical systems that passed within 75 miles of Belleville, New Jersey, newest first
YearStormClosestStrength when closestPeak
2021IdaSep 238 miTropical storm (44 mph)Category 4
2021ElsaJul 964 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 1
2020IsaiasAug 447 miTropical storm (62 mph)Category 1
2020FayJul 1142 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
2013AndreaJun 864 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
2011IreneAug 2812 miTropical storm (63 mph)Category 3
2008HannaSep 729 miTropical storm (52 mph)Category 1
1999FloydSep 1637 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 4
1996BerthaJul 1317 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 3
1985GloriaSep 2747 miCategory 1 (86 mph)Category 4
1985HenriSep 2470 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1976BelleAug 1046 miTropical storm (72 mph)Category 3
1972AgnesJun 2226 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 1
1971DoriaAug 2810 miTropical storm (60 mph)Tropical storm
1968Unnamed 1968 stormSep 1147 miTropical storm (63 mph)Tropical storm
1961Unnamed 1961 stormSep 1545 miTropical storm (62 mph)Tropical storm
1960DonnaSep 1262 miCategory 2 (98 mph)Category 4
1960BrendaJul 3027 miTropical storm (58 mph)Tropical storm
1955DianeAug 1917 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 2
1952AbleSep 129 miTropical storm (56 mph)Category 2
1938Unnamed 1938 stormSep 2166 miCategory 3 (120 mph)Category 5
1934Unnamed 1934 stormSep 959 miCategory 1 (75 mph)Category 2
1934Unnamed 1934 stormJun 1930 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 2
1924Unnamed 1924 stormSep 3010 miTropical storm (68 mph)Category 1
1916Unnamed 1916 stormMay 1761 miTropical storm (55 mph)Tropical storm
1915Unnamed 1915 stormAug 410 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 1
1904Unnamed 1904 stormSep 1563 miCategory 1 (78 mph)Category 1
1903Unnamed 1903 stormSep 1654 miTropical storm (63 mph)Category 2
1902Unnamed 1902 stormJun 1663 miTropical storm (44 mph)Tropical storm
1900Unnamed 1900 stormOct 1438 miTropical storm (39 mph)Tropical storm
1899Unnamed 1899 stormNov 144 miTropical storm (54 mph)Category 2
1897Unnamed 1897 stormSep 2465 miTropical storm (63 mph)Tropical storm
1894Unnamed 1894 stormOct 1059 miCategory 1 (86 mph)Category 3
1893Unnamed 1893 stormAug 2941 miTropical storm (63 mph)Category 3
1893Unnamed 1893 stormAug 2415 miCategory 1 (86 mph)Category 3
1888Unnamed 1888 stormSep 1142 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1888Unnamed 1888 stormAug 2229 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 3
1882Unnamed 1882 stormSep 2455 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1877Unnamed 1877 stormOct 557 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 3
1874Unnamed 1874 stormSep 2920 miTropical storm (68 mph)Category 1
1872Unnamed 1872 stormOct 2623 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 1
1866Unnamed 1866 stormOct 305 miTropical storm (60 mph)Tropical storm
1863Unnamed 1863 stormSep 193 miTropical storm (49 mph)Tropical storm
1861Unnamed 1861 stormSep 2825 miTropical storm (63 mph)Category 1

Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Belleville: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.

Tornadoes within 25 miles of Belleville

By decade

  • 2020s3
  • 2010s10
  • 2000s5
  • 1990s11
  • 1980s13
  • 1970s9(1 EF3+)
  • 1960s1
  • 1950s3
Strongest tornadoes near Belleville, New Jersey
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
May 28, 1973F318 mi0.4 mi0 / 0
Aug 8, 2007EF214 mi3.92 mi0 / 9
Jul 12, 2006F224 mi10.1 mi0 / 6
Jul 15, 1970F215 mi2 mi0 / 0
Aug 7, 1962F211 mi2.5 mi0 / 0
Sep 6, 1956F218 mi0.1 mi0 / 0
Sep 16, 2010EF117 mi4 mi1 / 1
Jun 26, 2023EF122 mi1.38 mi0 / 0
Oct 31, 2019EF112 mi4.87 mi0 / 0
Oct 7, 2013EF110 mi1.25 mi0 / 0
Sep 8, 2012EF118 mi4.74 mi0 / 0
Jul 25, 2010EF115 mi0.87 mi0 / 7

The strongest 12 of 55, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.

Hail in Belleville

The Storm Prediction Center has 99 hail reports within 10 miles of Belleville since 1962, made on 58 separate days. Of these, 43 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 9 days, most recently July 6, 2020. The most recent report is from September 8, 2023. July has the most reports, 23.

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.

Weather by month in Belleville

The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Harrison, NJ, 3 miles south of Belleville at 24 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 87°F and low of 69°F; January is the coolest, at 39°F and 25°F. June is the wettest at 4.9 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 3.3 inches; the year adds up to 50.7 inches over 79 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 52% of the year's precipitation (26.3 of 50.7 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 44 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (20); a normal September there has highs of 78°F and 4.3 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 31 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 83 nights a year. Snowfall averages 28.2 inches a year, most of it in February. That 50.7 inches is more than at 41 of the 51 New Jersey stations used on this site (80%). Lyndhurst, 2 miles northeast, has its own station (Teterboro Airport, NJ): 46.4 inches a year, 4.3 less than here, and the same July average high, 87°F.

Water temperature at the NOAA tide station The Battery, NY, 10 miles southeast, averaged 74°F in August and 39°F in February over 2021–2025. No month averaged 80°F. Sea level at the The Battery tide gauge, 10 miles from Belleville, has risen 1.16 ± 0.02 inches per decade from 1856 to 2025, NOAA's linear trend; at that pace it is 11.6 inches in a hundred years. That is faster than at 66 of the 144 U.S. gauges with a NOAA trend.

Monthly climate normals 1991–2020 at Harrison, NJ
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. inDays ≥ 0.1"Snow inWater °F
Jan39253.778.041
Feb42263.368.439
Mar50334.374.742
Apr62434.170.749
May72544.480.058
Jun82634.970.066
Jul87694.860.073
Aug85674.470.074
Sep78604.360.072
Oct66484.260.265
Nov54383.760.356
Dec44314.685.946
Year634650.77928.257

Averages for 1991–2020 at Harrison, NJ (24 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals; water temperature: average of hourly readings 2021–2025 at the NOAA tide station The Battery, NY, from NOAA Tides & Currents. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.

New Jersey weather by month, station by station →

Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Belleville

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 898 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Belleville: 409 flash floods, 365 thunderstorm wind reports, 96 floods, 27 lightning strikes and 1 heavy rain event. They killed 21 people and injured 39, and the NWS estimated $25.8 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 110 mph, on October 7, 2013. July has had the most flash floods, 129 of 409. Of the 455 New Jersey cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 440 have had fewer than Belleville.

  • September 1, 2021: flash flood 9 miles from the centre of Belleville — 4 killed.

  • August 28, 2011: flood 3 miles from the centre of Belleville — 2 killed.

  • September 1, 2021: flash flood 6 miles from the centre of Belleville — 2 killed.

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, events whose starting point is on record, 1996 to June 30, 2026. Damage is the NWS estimate in the dollars of the year, not insured losses, and NWS notes that some reports are unverified.

Flood insurance claims, disaster declarations and FEMA risk ratings

Flood insurance policyholders in Belleville's ZIP code 07109 have filed 236 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1978, and were paid $12.1 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Hurricane Ida in 2021: 61 claims (26% of all) and $4.8 million, then Hurricane Irene in 2011 with 52 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012 with 28. 83% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 395 New Jersey cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 276 have fewer than Belleville.

Flood insurance claims in Belleville by named event
EventClaimsPaid
Hurricane Ida202161$4.8 million
Hurricane Irene201152$2.6 million
Hurricane Sandy201228$2.9 million
Hurricane Floyd199925$375,000
April 2007 Nor'easter200720$211,000

Essex County, which includes Belleville, has been named in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1965, 21 of them major disasters (by incident: 10 hurricanes, 6 floods, 6 severe storms, 4 snowstorms). The latest major disaster declaration was Remnants of Hurricane Ida, on September 5, 2021. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Essex County a Relatively High rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Very High for strong wind; Relatively High for tornadoes, inland flooding, lightning and heat waves; Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, hail and coastal flooding. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $214.1 million a year, the 4th highest of 21 New Jersey counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $149.3 million (70%), is from inland flooding.

Claims: FEMA, OpenFEMA Dataset FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims – v3, summed over ZIP codes; payments in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Declarations: Disaster Declarations Summaries – v2, by county. Retrieved October 25, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

Risk ratings: FEMA, National Risk Index county table, December 2025 (v1.20), retrieved October 26, 2026; ratings compare counties nationwide, are meant for planning and are no substitute for a local risk assessment. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.

Cities near Belleville