NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Phillipsburg, 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
28 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Phillipsburg, New Jersey since 1851, 2 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ida in 2021. Since 1950, 60 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 2
- Tropical storms
- 26
- Tornadoes
- 60
- EF3 or stronger
- 2
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
no recorded deaths
What the records show for Phillipsburg
The strongest storm to pass near Phillipsburg was an unnamed storm in 1893, a Category 1 hurricane with 86 mph winds when its centre passed 67 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1878, whose centre came within 37 miles. The record near Phillipsburg begins with an unnamed storm in 1861; the most recent system was Ida in 2021, a tropical storm 50 miles away. Of the 28 systems, 6 have come since 2000. Of the 455 New Jersey cities on this site, 93% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Phillipsburg. The highest rating among the 60 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 2 times; the most recent, on July 26, 1981, came within 20 miles. Of the 60, none had a path within 5 miles of the city centre, and 18 have come since 2000. July has had the most tornadoes, 17. The most recent tornado was on May 6, 2025. Phillipsburg has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 67% of the 455 New Jersey cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 51 times since 1956, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 455 New Jersey cities, 61% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Phillipsburg.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Phillipsburg
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | IdaSep 2 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 4 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2020 | FayJul 11 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2012 | SandyOct 30 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2011 | IreneAug 28 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2008 | HannaSep 7 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1996 | BerthaJul 13 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1971 | DoriaAug 28 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 30 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1955 | DianeAug 19 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1952 | AbleSep 1 | overhead | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 29 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormJun 19 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 3 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 4 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 16 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormNov 1 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 29 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 24 | 67 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 11 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 22 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 23 | 37 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 29 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormOct 26 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1866 | Unnamed 1866 stormOct 30 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormSep 19 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormSep 28 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Phillipsburg: 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 Phillipsburg
By decade
- 2020s9
- 2010s5
- 2000s4
- 1990s14
- 1980s14(1 EF3+)
- 1970s10(1 EF3+)
- 1960s1
- 1950s3
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 26, 1981 | F3 | 20 mi | 3.3 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Mar 21, 1976 | F3 | 20 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 4, 2020 | EF2 | 24 mi | 20.77 mi | 0 / 18 |
| Jul 29, 2009 | EF2 | 17 mi | 4.58 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Nov 8, 1996 | F2 | 20 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Jul 5, 1984 | F2 | 24 mi | 5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 5, 1984 | F2 | 22 mi | 8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 26, 1981 | F2 | 20 mi | 0.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 20, 1981 | F2 | 11 mi | 4.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 29, 1981 | F2 | 23 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 5, 1979 | F2 | 17 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 14, 1974 | F2 | 20 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 60, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Phillipsburg
The Storm Prediction Center has 51 hail reports within 10 miles of Phillipsburg since 1956, made on 36 separate days. Of these, 32 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 7 days, most recently May 27, 2010. The most recent report is from July 3, 2025. May has the most reports, 15.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Phillipsburg
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Springtown 1 NNE, PA, 10 miles southwest of Phillipsburg at 860 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 83°F and low of 62°F; January is the coolest, at 37°F and 19°F. July is the wettest at 5.6 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 3.2 inches; the year adds up to 53.3 inches over 85 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 54% of the year's precipitation (28.6 of 53.3 inches); the other six months are drier. Highs reach 90°F on about 13 days a year, almost all from June to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 121 nights a year. Snowfall averages 41.1 inches a year, most of it in February. That 53.3 inches is more than at 50 of the 51 New Jersey stations used on this site (98%). Stewartsville, 3 miles east, has its own station (Belvidere Brg, NJ): 48.3 inches a year, 5.0 less than here, and a July average high of 84°F against 83°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37 | 19 | 3.8 | 7 | 10.5 |
| Feb | 40 | 20 | 3.2 | 6 | 12.1 |
| Mar | 48 | 28 | 4.4 | 7 | 8.5 |
| Apr | 61 | 38 | 4.2 | 7 | 1.3 |
| May | 70 | 49 | 4.5 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 78 | 58 | 4.6 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 83 | 62 | 5.6 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 81 | 61 | 4.8 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 75 | 54 | 5.1 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 64 | 43 | 4.9 | 7 | 0.6 |
| Nov | 53 | 33 | 3.6 | 6 | 1.7 |
| Dec | 42 | 25 | 4.6 | 7 | 6.4 |
| Year | 61 | 41 | 53.3 | 85 | 41.1 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Springtown 1 NNE, PA (860 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.
Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Phillipsburg
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 357 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Phillipsburg: 244 thunderstorm wind reports, 62 flash floods, 26 floods, 17 lightning strikes and 8 heavy rain events. They killed 7 people and injured 8, and the NWS estimated $76.8 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 71 mph, on July 18, 2006. July has had the most flash floods, 21 of 62. Of the 455 New Jersey cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 206 have had fewer than Phillipsburg.
September 1, 2021: flash flood 6 miles from the centre of Phillipsburg — 6 killed, $6.0 million damage.
August 5, 2009: lightning strike 6 miles from the centre of Phillipsburg — 1 killed.
June 14, 2008: lightning strike in Phillipsburg — 4 injured.
NWS: “A family of four were struck and injured by lightning while carrying metal chairs and walking to their vehicle during a rain delay at a baseball game at Walters Park in Phillipsburg. All four collapsed on the field and could not get up after they were struck.”
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 Phillipsburg's ZIP code 08865 have filed 623 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1978, and were paid $20.9 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Flooding in 1996: 77 claims (12% of all) and $1.4 million, then Hurricane Irene in 2011 with 17 and Torrential rain in 2005 with 15. The year with the most claims was 2005, with 161. 21% 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, 336 have fewer than Phillipsburg.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Flooding1996 | 77 | $1.4 million |
| Hurricane Irene2011 | 17 | $318,000 |
| Torrential rain2005 | 15 | $268,000 |
Warren County, which includes Phillipsburg, has been named in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1965, 16 of them major disasters (by incident: 8 hurricanes, 8 severe storms, 4 snowstorms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storm and Flooding, on August 11, 2023. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Warren County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for strong wind; Relatively Moderate for inland flooding and lightning; Relatively Low for hurricanes, tornadoes and heat waves; Very Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $57.3 million a year, the 19th highest of 21 New Jersey counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $37.5 million (65%), 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 Phillipsburg
- Stewartsville, NJ3 mi
- Easton, PA3 mi
- Bloomsbury, NJ5 mi
- Asbury, NJ8 mi
- Milford, NJ8 mi
- Riegelsville, PA8 mi
- Nazareth, PA9 mi
- Washington, NJ10 mi
- Hampton, NJ11 mi
- Kintnersville, PA11 mi
- Hellertown, PA11 mi
- Upper Black Eddy, PA11 mi
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