Passaic County, New Jersey Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1861, 19 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Passaic County, New Jersey — about one every 8.7 years. Of those, 1 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Henri (2021), which passed 39 miles away on 23 August 2021.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentHenri (2021) — 39 mi away, 23 August 2021
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1893) — 75 kt (86 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordFay (2020) — 4.0 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles5 of 19
- Peak monthAugust — 9 storms (47% of all)
- Most active year1893 — 2 storms
- Most active decade2020s — 3 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 | 3 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henri (2021) | 23 Aug 2021 | 38.6 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Isaias (2020) | 4 Aug 2020 | 35.8 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Fay (2020) | 11 Jul 2020 | 4.0 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Irene (2011) | 28 Aug 2011 | 25.3 mi | TS / TD | 54 kt |
| Hanna (2008) | 7 Sep 2008 | 47.4 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Bertha (1996) | 13 Jul 1996 | 37.5 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Beryl (1994) | 18 Aug 1994 | 33.6 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| Agnes (1972) | 22 Jun 1972 | 14.2 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Doria (1971) | 28 Aug 1971 | 26.4 mi | TS / TD | 46 kt |
| Brenda (1960) | 30 Jul 1960 | 45.4 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Diane (1955) | 19 Aug 1955 | 34.9 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Able (1952) | 1 Sep 1952 | 15.9 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 29 Aug 1893 | 26.6 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 24 Aug 1893 | 28.8 mi | Cat 1 | 72 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 22 Aug 1888 | 16.7 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1874) | 30 Sep 1874 | 37.7 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1872) | 26 Oct 1872 | 39.9 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1863) | 19 Sep 1863 | 15.0 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1861) | 28 Sep 1861 | 43.9 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 8 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.
| Storm | Status | Closest approach | Distance | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris (1988) | Post-tropical | 29 Aug 1988 | 11.9 mi | 20 kt |
| Candy (1968) | Post-tropical | 26 Jun 1968 | 49.0 mi | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1945) | Post-tropical | 19 Sep 1945 | 9.9 mi | 28 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1934) | Post-tropical | 19 Jun 1934 | 48.7 mi | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1924) | Post-tropical | 30 Sep 1924 | 24.4 mi | 58 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1915) | Post-tropical | 4 Aug 1915 | 9.4 mi | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1899) | Post-tropical | 1 Nov 1899 | 29.7 mi | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1866) | Post-tropical | 30 Oct 1866 | 18.6 mi | 52 kt |
How Passaic 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, Passaic County, New Jersey ranks #819 — more exposed than 62.9% of them. Within New Jersey it ranks #15 of 21, against a state average of 20.6 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1893) passed 29 miles away on 24 August 1893 as a hurricane, reaching 75 kt (86 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Bertha (1996) passed 38 miles away on 13 July 1996 as a tropical storm, reaching 60 kt (69 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1874) passed 38 miles away on 30 September 1874 as a tropical storm, reaching 60 kt (69 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Isaias (2020) passed 36 miles away on 4 August 2020 as a tropical storm, reaching 55 kt (63 mph) while within 50 miles.
17 of the 19 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 8.7 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 19 storms spread over the 165 years from 1861 to 2025. 2 separate years saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while decades have gone by with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 59 years, between 1893 and 1952. It has been 4 years since the last one; 9 of the 16 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Passaic County, New Jersey?
1 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Passaic County, New Jersey at hurricane strength since 1861. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 19.
When was the last hurricane in Passaic County, New Jersey?
Unnamed Storm (1893), on 24 August 1893, passing 29 miles away — 133 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Henri (2021) in 2021.
What was the strongest storm to affect Passaic County, New Jersey?
Unnamed Storm (1893), which reached 75 kt (86 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 29 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Passaic County, New Jersey?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 8.7 years — 19 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
Passaic County, New Jersey borders or sits close to 6 other counties with a published storm record. Bergen County, New Jersey has 23 on record.