NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Waretown, 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
60 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Waretown, New Jersey since 1851, 12 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ida in 2021. Since 1950, 24 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 12
- Tropical storms
- 48
- Tornadoes
- 24
- EF3 or stronger
- 1
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
no recorded deaths
What the records show for Waretown
The strongest storm to pass near Waretown was an unnamed storm in 1938, a Category 3 hurricane with 121 mph winds when its centre passed 70 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1904, whose centre came within 11 miles. The record near Waretown begins with an unnamed storm in 1856; the most recent system was Ida in 2021, a tropical storm 26 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1900s, with 6 systems, 2 of them at hurricane strength. Of the 60 systems, 13 have come since 2000. Waretown has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 94% of the 455 New Jersey cities on this site. The strongest of the 24 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F3 on July 21, 1983; its path came within 8 miles. Of the 24, 5 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 11 have come since 2000. July has had the most tornadoes, 9. The most recent tornado was on August 10, 2023. Of the 455 New Jersey cities, 93% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Waretown. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 28 times since 1975, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Of the 455 New Jersey cities, 86% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Waretown.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Waretown
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | IdaSep 2 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 9 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 4 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2020 | FayJul 10 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 8 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2012 | SandyOct 30 | 25 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2011 | IreneAug 28 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2008 | HannaSep 6 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2007 | BarryJun 4 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2004 | JeanneSep 29 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2004 | CharleyAug 15 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2001 | AllisonJun 17 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1999 | FloydSep 16 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1996 | BerthaJul 13 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1985 | GloriaSep 27 | 23 mi | Category 1 (91 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1985 | HenriSep 24 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1976 | BelleAug 10 | 36 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1972 | AgnesJun 22 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1971 | DoriaAug 28 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1968 | Unnamed 1968 stormSep 11 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1961 | Unnamed 1961 stormSep 15 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1960 | DonnaSep 12 | 37 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 30 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | CindyJul 11 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1955 | DianeAug 19 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 21 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormSep 14 | 47 mi | Category 2 (105 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormAug 3 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1938 | Unnamed 1938 stormSep 21 | 70 mi | Category 3 (121 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormSep 8 | 43 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormJun 19 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 17 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 4 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1908 | Unnamed 1908 stormMay 30 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 30 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1904 | Unnamed 1904 stormSep 15 | 11 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1903 | Unnamed 1903 stormSep 16 | 32 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 16 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormOct 14 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1897 | Unnamed 1897 stormSep 24 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 10 | 24 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormSep 30 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 24 | 17 mi | Category 1 (89 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 25 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 11 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 24 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 12 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormSep 11 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormAug 18 | 47 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 5 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 29 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormOct 26 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1866 | Unnamed 1866 stormOct 30 | overhead | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormSep 19 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormNov 3 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormSep 28 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 17 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 20 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Waretown: 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 Waretown
By decade
- 2020s8
- 2010s2
- 2000s1
- 1990s2
- 1980s5(1 EF3+)
- 1970s1
- 1960s2
- 1950s3
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 21, 1983 | F3 | 8 mi | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 29, 2021 | EF2 | 3 mi | 4.2 mi | 0 / 8 |
| Aug 20, 1999 | F2 | 16 mi | 0.4 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Jun 29, 1982 | F2 | 7 mi | 1.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 10, 2023 | EF1 | 21 mi | 0.31 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 29, 2021 | EF1 | 3 mi | 6.52 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 4, 2020 | EF1 | 7 mi | 3.32 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 16, 2010 | EF1 | 23 mi | 2.23 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 27, 2004 | F1 | 18 mi | 2.6 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Jun 21, 1981 | F1 | 20 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 24, 1974 | F1 | 2 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 10, 1964 | F1 | 25 mi | 59.1 mi | 0 / 5 |
The strongest 12 of 24, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Waretown
The Storm Prediction Center has 28 hail reports within 10 miles of Waretown since 1975, made on 17 separate days. Of these, 17 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.75 inches (baseball size), fell on June 6, 2002. The most recent report is from April 3, 2024. June has the most reports, 13.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Waretown
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Toms River, NJ, 11 miles north of Waretown at 10 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 86°F and low of 64°F; January is the coolest, at 42°F and 22°F. December is the wettest at 5.8 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 3.2 inches; the year adds up to 52.0 inches over 79 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 51% of the year's precipitation (26.3 of 52.0 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 60 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (26); a normal September there has highs of 77°F and 4.7 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 116 nights a year. That 52.0 inches is more than at 47 of the 51 New Jersey stations used on this site (92%). Barnegat, 3 miles southwest, has its own station (Brant Beach-Beach Haven, NJ): 41.0 inches a year, 11.0 less than here, and a July average high of 84°F against 86°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42 | 22 | 4.4 | 7 |
| Feb | 45 | 22 | 3.2 | 5 |
| Mar | 51 | 28 | 4.9 | 8 |
| Apr | 62 | 38 | 3.8 | 7 |
| May | 71 | 49 | 3.6 | 7 |
| Jun | 80 | 58 | 3.9 | 7 |
| Jul | 86 | 64 | 4.5 | 6 |
| Aug | 84 | 62 | 5.0 | 6 |
| Sep | 77 | 53 | 4.7 | 6 |
| Oct | 67 | 42 | 4.5 | 6 |
| Nov | 56 | 32 | 3.7 | 6 |
| Dec | 47 | 27 | 5.8 | 7 |
| Year | 64 | 41 | 52.0 | 79 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Toms River, NJ (10 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 Waretown
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 112 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Waretown: 73 thunderstorm wind reports, 14 flash floods, 12 lightning strikes, 11 heavy rain events and 2 floods. They killed 0 people and injured 4, and the NWS estimated $1.1 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 92 mph, on June 3, 2020. Of the 455 New Jersey cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 37 have had fewer than Waretown.
July 8, 2014: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Waretown — 3 injured.
July 9, 2013: lightning strike 9 miles from the centre of Waretown — 1 injured.
June 22, 2012: lightning strike 6 miles from the centre of Waretown — $500,000 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 Waretown's ZIP code 08758 have filed 652 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1979, and were paid $19.8 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Hurricane Sandy in 2012: 438 claims (67% of all) and $18.4 million, then December Storm - Nor'easter in 1992 with 86 and The "Halloween" Storm in 1991 with 18. 88% 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, 338 have fewer than Waretown.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Sandy2012 | 438 | $18.4 million |
| December Storm - Nor'easter1992 | 86 | $659,000 |
| The "Halloween" Storm1991 | 18 | $60,000 |
Ocean County, which includes Waretown, has been named in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1965, 19 of them major disasters (by incident: 8 hurricanes, 6 snowstorms, 4 fires, 4 floods). The latest major disaster declaration was Remnants of Hurricane Ida, on September 5, 2021. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Ocean County a Relatively High rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Very High for coastal flooding, strong wind and lightning; Relatively High for hurricanes and inland flooding; Relatively Moderate for heat waves; Relatively Low for tornadoes and hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $203.7 million a year, the 6th highest of 21 New Jersey counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $99.8 million (49%), 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 Waretown
- Barnegat, NJ3 mi
- Forked River, NJ4 mi
- Manahawkin, NJ6 mi
- Lanoka Harbor, NJ6 mi
- Bayville, NJ9 mi
- West Creek, NJ9 mi
- Beachwood, NJ10 mi
- Pine Beach, NJ11 mi
- Ship Bottom, NJ12 mi
- Seaside Park, NJ12 mi
- Whiting, NJ13 mi
- Seaside Heights, NJ14 mi
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