New Jersey sees a moderate amount of severe weather each year, with 205 confirmed tornadoes, 1,144 hailstorm events and 5,684 damaging-wind events recorded by the National Weather Service since 1950. The state ranks among the lowest in the country for tornado frequency, and averages 2.7 tornadoes per year over the 75-year record. New Jersey’s severe-weather record is dominated by winter storms, nor’easters and infrequent but occasionally damaging summer tornadoes. The interactive map below plots every significant severe-weather event in New Jersey from the official NOAA Storm Events Database (1950 through September 2025).
Use the map to find your county, click any marker for the date, magnitude, and casualty details of that event, and switch between tornadoes, hail and wind using the chips. For the national view across all 50 states, see our NOAA Storm Reports interactive map. For tornado tracks specifically, see the US Tornado Tracks map; for hail size and frequency, the US Hailstorms map.
New Jersey Severe Weather by the Numbers (1950–2025)
- 205 tornadoes recorded between 1950 and 2025
- 39 violent tornadoes rated F2/EF2 or stronger
- 1 direct tornado deaths and 80 direct injuries
- 1,144 hailstorm events recorded by the NWS
- 5,684 damaging-wind events on record
- 2.7 tornadoes per year on average across the 75-year record
- July is the peak severe-weather month, accounting for roughly 27.3% of New Jersey tornadoes
- 254 total direct deaths from all severe-weather event types tracked by the NWS
When New Jersey Severe Weather Happens
New Jersey tornado activity peaks in spring, with March through June accounting for about 31% of all events. The single busiest month is July, which alone produces around 27.3% of recorded tornadoes.
- July: 56 tornadoes (27.3%) — peak month
- August: 32 tornadoes (15.6%)
- June: 23 tornadoes (11.2%)
- September: 20 tornadoes (9.8%)
- April: 18 tornadoes (8.8%)
- October: 15 tornadoes (7.3%)
Top 10 New Jersey Counties by Tornado Frequency
Tornado activity in New Jersey is geographically broad, but a handful of counties have logged many times the state average. The combination of population density (more spotters and damage reports), county land area and local climatology drives the rankings below.
| County | Tornadoes since 1950 |
|---|---|
| Burlington | 25 |
| Ocean | 20 |
| Mercer | 18 |
| Monmouth | 17 |
| Union | 14 |
| Gloucester | 13 |
| Cape May | 11 |
| Camden | 10 |
| Cumberland | 10 |
| Bergen | 9 |
New Jersey Tornado Strength Distribution
Most New Jersey tornadoes are weak: roughly 81% are rated F0/EF0 or F1/EF1. Violent tornadoes (F2+/EF2+) account for around 19.4% of rated tornadoes in the state.
- F0/EF0 (weak): 71 tornadoes — 35.3% of rated events
- F1/EF1: 91 tornadoes — 45.3% of rated events
- F2/EF2 (strong): 34 tornadoes — 16.9% of rated events
- F3/EF3: 5 tornadoes — 2.5% of rated events
Record-Setting Severe Weather in New Jersey
Largest hailstone: 3.00 inches in diameter, observed in Camden County on June 23, 1969. The three largest hailstones on record in New Jersey measured 3.00″, 2.75″, 2.75″.
Highest measured wind gust: 81 knots (93 mph) recorded in Ocean County near Beach Haven on June 3, 2020. Most damaging-wind events in New Jersey are estimated rather than measured because anemometers are sparse across the rural areas where supercells most often produce destructive thunderstorm winds.
How New Jersey Compares Nationally
New Jersey ranks among the lowest in the country for tornado frequency, with severe-weather activity well below the central-US average.
- Tornadoes (top 5): Texas (9,908), Kansas (4,890), Oklahoma (4,856), Florida (3,779), Iowa (3,417).
- New Jersey tornado total: 205 — ranked 36th nationally.
- New Jersey hail total: 1,144 hail events on record since 1950.
- New Jersey wind total: 5,684 damaging-wind events on record since 1950.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tornadoes does New Jersey have on average per year?
New Jersey averages 2.7 tornadoes per year over the 1950–2025 period. Counts vary widely year to year, but the long-term mean over 75 years of NWS records is a reliable benchmark for typical activity.
Where in New Jersey are tornadoes most common?
The single county with the most tornadoes on record is Burlington County with 25 events. The three most active counties overall are Burlington, Ocean, Mercer.
How does New Jersey compare to its neighbors?
New Jersey shares a severe-weather climate with New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware. Severe storms regularly cross state lines, so the same supercells, hail cores and wind events often appear in New Jersey’s neighbors’ records on the same date.
How recent is the data on this map?
The map and statistics on this page are pulled from NOAA’s official Storm Events Database, which currently runs from January 1950 through September 2025. New records typically appear in the database within 30–90 days of the event date, once damage surveys and ratings are complete.
Compare New Jersey to Neighboring States
Severe weather doesn’t stop at state lines. The same supercell systems that produce New Jersey tornadoes regularly cross into neighboring states. Compare New Jersey’s storm history to its land neighbors:
- New York severe storm history — ranked 30th nationally, Great Lakes severe-weather and lake-effect winters
- Pennsylvania severe storm history — ranked 26th nationally, Great Lakes severe-weather and lake-effect winters
- Delaware severe storm history — ranked 46th nationally
Explore the national NOAA Storm Reports map · US Tornado Tracks map · US Hailstorms map
