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NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Columbus, NJ

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

49 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Columbus, New Jersey since 1851, 8 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ida in 2021. Since 1950, 68 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 3 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
8

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
41

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
68

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
3

1 deaths in all

Tropical storms and hurricanes near Columbus

Tropical systems that passed within 75 miles of Columbus, New Jersey, newest first
YearStormClosestStrength when closestPeak
2021IdaSep 22 miTropical storm (43 mph)Category 4
2021ElsaJul 950 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 1
2020IsaiasAug 441 miTropical storm (64 mph)Category 1
2020FayJul 1021 miTropical storm (43 mph)Tropical storm
2013AndreaJun 854 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
2012SandyOct 3035 miCategory 1 (76 mph)Category 3
2011IreneAug 2827 miTropical storm (66 mph)Category 3
2008HannaSep 612 miTropical storm (52 mph)Category 1
2004CharleyAug 1572 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 4
1999FloydSep 1640 miTropical storm (61 mph)Category 4
1996BerthaJul 135 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 3
1992DanielleSep 2671 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1985GloriaSep 2755 miCategory 1 (91 mph)Category 4
1985HenriSep 2474 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1976BelleAug 1065 miCategory 1 (81 mph)Category 3
1972AgnesJun 2264 miTropical storm (61 mph)Category 1
1971DoriaAug 2817 miTropical storm (54 mph)Tropical storm
1968Unnamed 1968 stormSep 1166 miTropical storm (59 mph)Tropical storm
1961Unnamed 1961 stormSep 1542 miTropical storm (61 mph)Tropical storm
1960DonnaSep 1268 miCategory 2 (98 mph)Category 4
1960BrendaJul 3025 miTropical storm (58 mph)Tropical storm
1955DianeAug 1924 miTropical storm (45 mph)Category 2
1952AbleSep 148 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 2
1944Unnamed 1944 stormAug 360 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
1934Unnamed 1934 stormSep 873 miCategory 1 (77 mph)Category 2
1934Unnamed 1934 stormJun 19overheadTropical storm (46 mph)Category 2
1929Unnamed 1929 stormOct 374 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 4
1924Unnamed 1924 stormSep 3018 miTropical storm (70 mph)Category 1
1916Unnamed 1916 stormMay 1754 miTropical storm (54 mph)Tropical storm
1915Unnamed 1915 stormAug 434 miTropical storm (54 mph)Category 1
1904Unnamed 1904 stormSep 1543 miCategory 1 (77 mph)Category 1
1903Unnamed 1903 stormSep 1612 miTropical storm (68 mph)Category 2
1902Unnamed 1902 stormJun 1655 miTropical storm (45 mph)Tropical storm
1900Unnamed 1900 stormOct 1447 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1899Unnamed 1899 stormNov 148 miTropical storm (56 mph)Category 2
1897Unnamed 1897 stormSep 2464 miTropical storm (63 mph)Tropical storm
1894Unnamed 1894 stormOct 1057 miCategory 1 (86 mph)Category 3
1893Unnamed 1893 stormAug 2955 miTropical storm (63 mph)Category 3
1893Unnamed 1893 stormAug 2443 miCategory 1 (87 mph)Category 3
1888Unnamed 1888 stormSep 1128 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1888Unnamed 1888 stormAug 2266 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 3
1882Unnamed 1882 stormSep 2441 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1877Unnamed 1877 stormOct 536 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 3
1874Unnamed 1874 stormSep 2914 miTropical storm (63 mph)Category 1
1872Unnamed 1872 stormOct 2613 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 1
1866Unnamed 1866 stormOct 3028 miTropical storm (63 mph)Tropical storm
1863Unnamed 1863 stormSep 193 miTropical storm (53 mph)Tropical storm
1861Unnamed 1861 stormSep 2823 miTropical storm (66 mph)Category 1
1856Unnamed 1856 stormAug 2072 miTropical storm (58 mph)Tropical storm

Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Columbus: 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 Columbus

By decade

  • 2020s19(1 EF3+)
  • 2010s8
  • 2000s5
  • 1990s11
  • 1980s9
  • 1970s3(1 EF3+)
  • 1960s6(1 EF3+)
  • 1950s7
Strongest tornadoes near Columbus, New Jersey
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
Jul 29, 2021EF313 mi3.4 mi0 / 0
Sep 26, 1977F322 mi5.9 mi0 / 0
Jun 24, 1960F313 mi12.9 mi0 / 0
Apr 1, 2023EF223 mi1.59 mi0 / 0
Apr 1, 2023EF217 mi2.1 mi0 / 0
Feb 21, 2023EF214 mi5.8 mi0 / 0
Jul 29, 2021EF217 mi6.31 mi0 / 0
Aug 4, 2020EF213 mi20.77 mi0 / 18
May 31, 1998F213 mi5.6 mi0 / 0
Jun 9, 1989F222 mi2 mi0 / 1
Aug 17, 1988F210 mi4.5 mi0 / 0
Jun 29, 1973F219 mi1.9 mi0 / 0

The strongest 12 of 68, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.

How to read this page

A storm is listed when the centre of its track passed within 75 miles of Columbus while it was at least a tropical storm, which is the reach of damaging wind and rain for a typical hurricane. Being on the list does not mean the city took a direct hit; the "closest" column says how near the centre came. Tornadoes are counted when any part of the path came within 25 miles.

Tornado records before the 1990s are thinner, because weak tornadoes in open country often went unreported before Doppler radar and mobile phones. A rise in the decade counts is mostly better reporting, not a change in the weather.

Tracks come from the National Hurricane Center's HURDAT2 database, tornadoes from the Storm Prediction Center's database. Both are the official federal records and both are revised as old storms are re-analysed.

Other cities in New Jersey