Burlington County, New Jersey Hurricane History
Since 1861, 23 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Burlington County, New Jersey — about one every 7.2 years. Of those, 4 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Elsa (2021), which passed 41 miles away on 9 July 2021.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentElsa (2021) — 41 mi away, 9 July 2021
- Strongest stormGloria (1985) — 80 kt (92 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1872) — 2.4 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles11 of 23
- Peak monthSeptember — 9 storms (39% of all)
- Most active year1861 — 1 storms
- Most active decade1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1960s, 1990s and 2020s — 2 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1861–2021
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elsa (2021) | 9 Jul 2021 | 41.1 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Fay (2020) | 10 Jul 2020 | 17.4 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Irene (2011) | 28 Aug 2011 | 22.0 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Hanna (2008) | 7 Sep 2008 | 12.2 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Floyd (1999) | 16 Sep 1999 | 31.5 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Bertha (1996) | 13 Jul 1996 | 5.5 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Gloria (1985) | 27 Sep 1985 | 48.2 mi | Cat 1 | 80 kt |
| Doria (1971) | 28 Aug 1971 | 8.8 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1961) | 15 Sep 1961 | 34.0 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Brenda (1960) | 30 Jul 1960 | 19.3 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Diane (1955) | 19 Aug 1955 | 38.3 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1944) | 3 Aug 1944 | 46.3 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1939) | 19 Aug 1939 | 49.3 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1915) | 4 Aug 1915 | 47.7 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1903) | 16 Sep 1903 | 11.2 mi | TS / TD | 62 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1894) | 10 Oct 1894 | 48.2 mi | Cat 1 | 75 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 24 Aug 1893 | 41.3 mi | Cat 1 | 77 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 23 Jun 1886 | 26.2 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1882) | 24 Sep 1882 | 30.6 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1874) | 29 Sep 1874 | 6.2 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1872) | 26 Oct 1872 | 2.4 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1863) | 19 Sep 1863 | 19.2 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1861) | 28 Sep 1861 | 22.7 mi | TS / TD | 57 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 17 systems passed within 50 miles after losing tropical characteristics. These are excluded from the counts above because they were no longer tropical cyclones at their closest approach — but several were highly damaging, so they are listed here. Showing the 8 most recent.
| Storm | Status | Closest approach | Distance | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ida (2021) | Post-tropical | 2 Sep 2021 | 13.2 mi | 37 kt |
| Andrea (2013) | Post-tropical | 8 Jun 2013 | 43.1 mi | 40 kt |
| Sandy (2012) | Post-tropical | 30 Oct 2012 | 22.3 mi | 68 kt |
| Twenty-Two (2005) | Post-tropical | 14 Oct 2005 | 49.6 mi | 30 kt |
| Gordon (2000) | Post-tropical | 19 Sep 2000 | 19.5 mi | 25 kt |
| Chris (1988) | Post-tropical | 29 Aug 1988 | 47.6 mi | 20 kt |
| Candy (1968) | Post-tropical | 26 Jun 1968 | 24.0 mi | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1945) | Post-tropical | 19 Sep 1945 | 34.3 mi | 30 kt |
How Burlington County, New Jersey compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Burlington County, New Jersey ranks #690 — more exposed than 68.7% of them. Within New Jersey it ranks #6 of 21, against a state average of 20.6 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 1 Gloria (1985) passed 48 miles away on 27 September 1985 as a hurricane, reaching 80 kt (92 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1893) passed 41 miles away on 24 August 1893 as a hurricane, reaching 77 kt (89 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1894) passed 48 miles away on 10 October 1894 as a hurricane, reaching 75 kt (86 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1903) passed 11 miles away on 16 September 1903 as a hurricane, reaching 70 kt (81 mph) while within 50 miles.
22 of the 23 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 7.2 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 23 storms spread over the 165 years from 1861 to 2025. 0 separate years saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while decades have gone by with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 24 years, between 1915 and 1939. It has been 4 years since the last one; 14 of the 22 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Burlington County, New Jersey?
4 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Burlington County, New Jersey at hurricane strength since 1861. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 23.
When was the last hurricane in Burlington County, New Jersey?
Gloria (1985), on 27 September 1985, passing 48 miles away — 41 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Elsa (2021) in 2021.
What was the strongest storm to affect Burlington County, New Jersey?
Gloria (1985), which reached 80 kt (92 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 48 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Burlington County, New Jersey?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 7.2 years — 23 storms over the 165 years from 1861 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Burlington County, New Jersey borders or sits close to 5 other counties with a published storm record. Ocean County, New Jersey has 30 on record.