Warren County, New Jersey Tropical Cyclone History
Since 1863, 11 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Warren County, New Jersey — about one every 14.8 years. Of those, 1 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Isaias (2020), which passed 6 miles away on 4 August 2020.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentIsaias (2020) — 6 mi away, 4 August 2020
- Strongest stormUnnamed Storm (1878) — 71 kt (82 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordAble (1952) — 3.7 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)None on record
- Passes within 25 miles6 of 11
- Peak monthAugust — 6 storms (55% of all)
- Most active year2020 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1950s and 2020s — 2 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi0
- Record span1863–2020
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isaias (2020) | 4 Aug 2020 | 5.7 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Fay (2020) | 11 Jul 2020 | 39.7 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Beryl (1994) | 18 Aug 1994 | 36.4 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| Diane (1955) | 19 Aug 1955 | 31.9 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Able (1952) | 1 Sep 1952 | 3.7 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1915) | 4 Aug 1915 | 18.8 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1903) | 16 Sep 1903 | 16.5 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 29 Aug 1893 | 12.3 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 22 Aug 1888 | 13.1 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1878) | 23 Oct 1878 | 39.4 mi | Cat 1 | 72 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1863) | 19 Sep 1863 | 42.3 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 6 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 | 22.5 mi | 20 kt |
| Candy (1968) | Post-tropical | 26 Jun 1968 | 14.5 mi | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1945) | Post-tropical | 19 Sep 1945 | 27.7 mi | 29 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1929) | Post-tropical | 3 Oct 1929 | 40.3 mi | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1899) | Post-tropical | 1 Nov 1899 | 9.0 mi | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1866) | Post-tropical | 30 Oct 1866 | 49.3 mi | 52 kt |
How Warren 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, Warren County, New Jersey ranks #1,206 — more exposed than 45.4% of them. Within New Jersey it ranks #21 of 21, against a state average of 20.6 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1878) passed 39 miles away on 23 October 1878 as a hurricane, reaching 71 kt (82 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1903) passed 16 miles away on 16 September 1903 as a tropical storm, reaching 57 kt (66 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Isaias (2020) passed 6 miles away on 4 August 2020 as a tropical storm, reaching 55 kt (63 mph) while within 50 miles.
- TS / TD Unnamed Storm (1893) passed 12 miles away on 29 August 1893 as a tropical storm, reaching 55 kt (63 mph) while within 50 miles.
11 of the 11 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 14.8 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 11 storms spread over the 163 years from 1863 to 2025. 1 separate year saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while decades have gone by with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 39 years, between 1955 and 1994. It has been 5 years since the last one; 7 of the 9 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Warren County, New Jersey?
1 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Warren County, New Jersey at hurricane strength since 1863. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 11.
When was the last hurricane in Warren County, New Jersey?
Unnamed Storm (1878), on 23 October 1878, passing 39 miles away — 148 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Isaias (2020) in 2020.
What was the strongest storm to affect Warren County, New Jersey?
Unnamed Storm (1878), which reached 71 kt (82 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 39 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Warren County, New Jersey?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 14.8 years — 11 storms over the 163 years from 1863 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Warren County, New Jersey borders or sits close to 4 other counties with a published storm record. Morris County, New Jersey has 20 on record.