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NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit North Brunswick, 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 North Brunswick, New Jersey since 1851, 8 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ida in 2021. Since 1950, 73 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 4 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
8

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
36

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
73

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
4

no recorded deaths

What the records show for North Brunswick

The strongest storm to pass near North Brunswick was Donna in 1960, a Category 2 hurricane with 98 mph winds when its centre passed 67 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1893, whose centre came within 31 miles. The record near North Brunswick begins with an unnamed storm in 1861; the most recent system was Ida in 2021, a tropical storm 22 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1890s, with 5 systems, 2 of them at hurricane strength. Of the 44 systems, 8 have come since 2000. North Brunswick has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 53% of the 455 New Jersey cities on this site. The highest rating among the 73 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 4 times; the most recent, on October 18, 1990, came within 15 miles. Of the 73, 3 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 29 have come since 2000. July and August have had the most tornadoes, 12 each. The most recent tornado was on June 14, 2024. North Brunswick has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 86% of the 455 New Jersey cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 66 times since 1967, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). North Brunswick has more hail reports within 10 miles than 52% of the 455 New Jersey cities.

Compare North Brunswick's storm record with another city →

Tropical storms and hurricanes near North Brunswick

Tropical systems that passed within 75 miles of North Brunswick, New Jersey, newest first
YearStormClosestStrength when closestPeak
2021IdaSep 222 miTropical storm (43 mph)Category 4
2021ElsaJul 960 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 1
2020IsaiasAug 442 miTropical storm (63 mph)Category 1
2020FayJul 1111 miTropical storm (39 mph)Tropical storm
2013AndreaJun 860 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
2012SandyOct 3063 miCategory 1 (77 mph)Category 3
2011IreneAug 2822 miTropical storm (63 mph)Category 3
2008HannaSep 723 miTropical storm (52 mph)Category 1
1999FloydSep 1641 miTropical storm (60 mph)Category 4
1996BerthaJul 1312 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 3
1985GloriaSep 2754 miCategory 1 (89 mph)Category 4
1985HenriSep 2475 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1976BelleAug 1058 miCategory 1 (77 mph)Category 3
1972AgnesJun 2249 miTropical storm (60 mph)Category 1
1971DoriaAug 2816 miTropical storm (61 mph)Tropical storm
1968Unnamed 1968 stormSep 1159 miTropical storm (61 mph)Tropical storm
1961Unnamed 1961 stormSep 1547 miTropical storm (62 mph)Tropical storm
1960DonnaSep 1267 miCategory 2 (98 mph)Category 4
1960BrendaJul 3029 miTropical storm (58 mph)Tropical storm
1955DianeAug 193 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 2
1952AbleSep 136 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 2
1934Unnamed 1934 stormSep 869 miCategory 1 (76 mph)Category 2
1934Unnamed 1934 stormJun 1918 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 2
1924Unnamed 1924 stormSep 3017 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 1
1916Unnamed 1916 stormMay 1760 miTropical storm (54 mph)Tropical storm
1915Unnamed 1915 stormAug 420 miTropical storm (56 mph)Category 1
1904Unnamed 1904 stormSep 1555 miCategory 1 (78 mph)Category 1
1903Unnamed 1903 stormSep 1629 miTropical storm (63 mph)Category 2
1902Unnamed 1902 stormJun 1662 miTropical storm (44 mph)Tropical storm
1900Unnamed 1900 stormOct 1442 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1899Unnamed 1899 stormNov 143 miTropical storm (55 mph)Category 2
1897Unnamed 1897 stormSep 2467 miTropical storm (63 mph)Tropical storm
1894Unnamed 1894 stormOct 1061 miCategory 1 (86 mph)Category 3
1893Unnamed 1893 stormAug 2945 miTropical storm (63 mph)Category 3
1893Unnamed 1893 stormAug 2431 miCategory 1 (87 mph)Category 3
1888Unnamed 1888 stormSep 1138 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1888Unnamed 1888 stormAug 2246 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 3
1882Unnamed 1882 stormSep 2451 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1877Unnamed 1877 stormOct 549 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 3
1874Unnamed 1874 stormSep 2920 miTropical storm (66 mph)Category 1
1872Unnamed 1872 stormOct 2621 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 1
1866Unnamed 1866 stormOct 3019 miTropical storm (61 mph)Tropical storm
1863Unnamed 1863 stormSep 193 miTropical storm (51 mph)Tropical storm
1861Unnamed 1861 stormSep 2826 miTropical storm (64 mph)Category 1

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

By decade

  • 2020s13
  • 2010s9
  • 2000s7
  • 1990s18(1 EF3+)
  • 1980s10
  • 1970s6(2 EF3+)
  • 1960s6(1 EF3+)
  • 1950s4
Strongest tornadoes near North Brunswick, New Jersey
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
Oct 18, 1990F315 mi0.5 mi0 / 8
Sep 26, 1977F3in town5.9 mi0 / 0
May 28, 1973F324 mi0.4 mi0 / 0
Jun 24, 1960F314 mi12.9 mi0 / 0
Apr 1, 2023EF223 mi1.59 mi0 / 0
Apr 1, 2023EF221 mi2.1 mi0 / 0
Feb 21, 2023EF214 mi5.8 mi0 / 0
Jul 29, 2021EF222 mi6.31 mi0 / 0
May 27, 2001F211 mi1.5 mi0 / 0
Aug 17, 1988F220 mi4.5 mi0 / 0
Feb 2, 1973F223 mi0.3 mi0 / 0
May 24, 1962F214 mi16.6 mi0 / 1

The strongest 12 of 73, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.

Hail in North Brunswick

The Storm Prediction Center has 66 hail reports within 10 miles of North Brunswick since 1967, made on 44 separate days. Of these, 27 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 4 days, most recently September 9, 2023. The most recent report is from September 9, 2023. July has the most reports, 21.

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

Weather by month in North Brunswick

The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is New Brunswick 3 SE, NJ, 4 miles northeast of North Brunswick at 111 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 87°F and low of 66°F; January is the coolest, at 40°F and 23°F. June and July are the wettest at 4.8 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 3.0 inches; the year adds up to 49.5 inches over 82 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 53% of the year's precipitation (26.0 of 49.5 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 44 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (19); a normal September there has highs of 78°F and 4.2 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 24 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 111 nights a year. Snowfall averages 29.0 inches a year, most of it in February. That 49.5 inches is more than at 33 of the 51 New Jersey stations used on this site (65%). Monmouth Junction, 5 miles southwest, has its own station (Hightstown 2 W, NJ): 47.6 inches a year, 1.9 less than here, and the same July average high, 87°F.

Water temperature at the NOAA tide station Sandy Hook, NJ, 25 miles east, averaged 77°F in July and 38°F in January over 2021–2025. No month averaged 80°F. Sea level at the Bergen Point tide gauge, 22 miles from North Brunswick, has risen 1.86 ± 0.13 inches per decade from 1981 to 2024, NOAA's linear trend; at that pace it is 18.6 inches in a hundred years. That is faster than at 114 of the 144 U.S. gauges with a NOAA trend.

Monthly climate normals 1991–2020 at New Brunswick 3 SE, NJ
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. inDays ≥ 0.1"Snow inWater °F
Jan40233.778.338
Feb43243.069.339
Mar51314.475.244
Apr63413.960.651
May72514.080.060
Jun81604.880.070
Jul87664.870.077
Aug85644.760.076
Sep78574.260.072
Oct67444.160.263
Nov56353.460.552
Dec45284.584.942
Year644449.58229.057

Averages for 1991–2020 at New Brunswick 3 SE, NJ (111 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals; water temperature: average of hourly readings 2021–2025 at the NOAA tide station Sandy Hook, NJ, 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 North Brunswick

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 456 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of North Brunswick: 246 thunderstorm wind reports, 96 flash floods, 64 floods, 27 heavy rain events and 23 lightning strikes. They killed 3 people and injured 15, and the NWS estimated $68.2 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 75 mph, on May 18, 2000. August has had the most flash floods, 35 of 96. Of the 455 New Jersey cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 245 have had fewer than North Brunswick.

  • September 1, 2021: flash flood 8 miles from the centre of North Brunswick — 3 killed, $50.0 million damage.

  • September 6, 2025: thunderstorm wind 8 miles from the centre of North Brunswick — 4 injured.

  • July 18, 2012: lightning strike 6 miles from the centre of North Brunswick — 3 injured, $5,000 damage.

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 North Brunswick's ZIP code 08902 have filed 34 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1978, and were paid $501,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. 59% 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, 108 have fewer than North Brunswick.

Middlesex County, which includes North Brunswick, has been named in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1965, 19 of them major disasters (by incident: 9 hurricanes, 5 floods, 5 severe storms, 4 snowstorms). The latest major disaster declaration was Remnants of Hurricane Ida, on September 5, 2021. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Middlesex County a Relatively High rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Very High for strong wind; Relatively High for tornadoes, inland flooding and coastal flooding; Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, lightning and heat waves; Relatively Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $282.4 million a year, the 2nd highest of 21 New Jersey counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $196.8 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 North Brunswick