County Hazards

States › New Jersey › Hudson County

Hudson County, New Jersey

Recorded hazard history: storm events since 1950, federal disaster declarations since 1953, flood insurance claims since 1978, and FEMA's risk index.

FIPS 34017 · 702,463 residents (2021) · 46 sq mi · dominant hazard Flood

Hail · 19Tornado · 1Flood · 157Wind · 133Winter · 79
1985-08-30: Hail1985-06-24: Hail1998-09-07: Hail1998-05-20: Hail2001-04-09: Hail2003-07-22: Hail2006-06-29: Hail2006-05-19: Hail2008-06-22: Hail2008-06-22: Hail2009-08-18: Hail2010-10-11: Hail2010-10-11: Hail2010-10-11: Hail2010-10-11: Hail2012-07-18: Hail2012-07-18: Hail1976-07-07: Tornado2006-11-08: Flood2006-11-08: Flood2007-07-11: Flood2007-04-15: Flood2007-06-04: Flood2007-04-27: Flood2007-04-27: Flood2007-04-27: Flood2007-08-08: Flood2007-08-08: Flood2007-06-12: Flood2008-02-13: Flood2008-09-06: Flood2008-09-06: Flood2008-09-06: Flood2008-09-06: Flood2009-07-29: Flood2009-07-26: Flood2010-10-01: Flood2010-10-01: Flood2010-07-14: Flood2011-03-11: Flood2011-08-27: Flood2011-08-27: Flood2011-08-27: Flood2011-08-28: Flood2011-08-19: Flood2012-06-06: Flood2013-05-08: Flood2014-07-03: Flood2014-07-03: Flood2014-07-02: Flood2014-05-01: Flood2014-05-23: Flood2014-05-23: Flood2015-05-31: Flood2015-05-31: Flood2016-07-25: Flood2017-10-29: Flood2017-05-05: Flood2017-05-05: Flood2017-05-05: Flood2017-05-05: Flood2017-05-05: Flood2018-04-16: Flood2018-04-16: Flood2018-09-25: Flood2018-09-25: Flood2018-09-25: Flood2018-09-18: Flood2018-09-25: Flood2018-09-25: Flood2018-09-25: Flood2018-08-11: Flood2018-08-11: Flood2018-08-11: Flood2018-08-17: Flood2019-05-29: Flood2019-07-17: Flood2019-07-22: Flood2019-08-07: Flood2019-08-07: Flood2019-08-07: Flood2019-08-18: Flood2020-07-22: Flood2020-07-01: Flood2020-07-03: Flood1956-09-06: Wind1967-07-10: Wind1988-07-17: Wind1988-06-01: Wind1989-11-20: Wind1989-11-16: Wind1990-10-18: Wind1991-07-23: Wind1992-04-24: Wind1996-05-11: Wind1996-04-23: Wind1996-07-08: Wind1996-09-08: Wind1997-08-16: Wind1997-07-09: Wind1997-07-18: Wind1997-05-06: Wind1998-09-07: Wind1998-06-30: Wind2001-06-11: Wind2002-04-19: Wind2002-06-27: Wind2002-08-02: Wind2003-07-22: Wind2004-05-12: Wind2005-06-22: Wind2005-08-14: Wind2006-07-12: Wind2006-07-21: Wind2006-12-01: Wind2007-05-16: Wind2007-05-16: Wind2007-05-16: Wind2008-06-10: Wind2008-06-10: Wind2008-06-10: Wind2008-06-10: Wind2008-06-10: Wind2008-06-10: Wind2008-06-29: Wind2008-06-10: Wind2008-07-23: Wind2008-06-10: Wind2009-07-29: Wind2009-07-29: Wind2009-07-29: Wind2009-07-26: Wind2009-07-26: Wind2009-07-26: Wind2009-07-26: Wind2010-08-16: Wind2010-07-25: Wind2011-09-29: Wind2013-05-11: Wind2014-07-08: Wind2014-07-03: Wind2015-07-01: Wind2015-07-01: Wind2016-07-18: Wind2018-07-17: Wind2018-05-15: Wind2019-06-29: Wind2019-07-31: Wind2019-07-30: Wind2019-10-31: Wind2020-11-15: Wind2020-11-15: Wind2020-11-15: Wind2021-12-06: Wind
Hudson County within New Jersey. Dots: HailTornadoFloodWind event locations in the kept record. Boundaries: US Census Bureau.

NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. NCEI storm records through 30 Jun 2026; OpenFEMA declarations refreshed 1 Oct 2026; NFIP claims as of 8 Sep 2026.

The NCEI record lists 438 events for Hudson County, New Jersey, between 1950 and 2026; floods and flash floods account for the largest share.

That is 948.2 events per 100 square miles, above the New Jersey figure of 358.7, and 6.2 per 10,000 residents against 28.5 statewide.

12 events fall in the 12 months to 30 Jun 2026. NCEI attributes 13 deaths and 11 injuries to events in the county, with property damage estimated at $6.3M.

FEMA has designated the county in 24 federal disaster declarations since 1953; the most recent is Remnants Of Hurricane Ida (major disaster, 5 Sep 2021).

National Flood Insurance Program policyholders in the county filed 5,198 claims since 1978, of which 3,907 were paid, totalling $177M (about $45K per paid claim). FEMA counts 2,990 residential flood policies in force.

FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall risk as "Relatively High" and its expected annual loss as "Relatively High" ($189M a year across 18 hazards).

49 tropical storm or hurricane tracks in the HURDAT2 record passed within 100 miles of the county's centre at tropical-storm strength or more, 2 of them within 50 miles at hurricane strength.

12events, last 12 monthsto 30 Jun 2026
438events since 195013 deaths, 11 injuries recorded
24disaster declarationslast 5 Sep 2021
5,198NFIP flood claims$177M paid

Compared with New Jersey and the United States

MeasureHudson CountyNew JerseyUS
Recorded events since 195043826,3821,977,440
Events per 100 square miles948.2358.756.0
Events per 10,000 residents6.228.559.6
Events in the last 12 months1277662,008
Deaths recorded by NCEI1327626,435
Property damage (NCEI estimates)$6.3M$28B$575B
NFIP claims per 1,000 residents7.421.88.1
Average paid NFIP claim$45K$38K$43K
Claims per 100 policies in force, last 10 years27.410.616.1

County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county. State and US rows include events recorded only by forecast zone. Rates use 2021 Census population and land area.

Events by decade

Wind: 1
Wind: 1
Tornado: 1
Hail: 2Wind: 4
Hail: 4Flood: 27Wind: 26Winter: 5Heat: 1Lightning: 1Other: 9
Hail: 7Flood: 38Wind: 44Winter: 23Tropical: 2Heat: 4Cold: 4Drought: 11Wildfire: 1Lightning: 4Other: 9
Hail: 6Flood: 52Wind: 30Winter: 34Tropical: 1Heat: 1
Flood: 40Wind: 27Winter: 17Tropical: 1
11950s11960s11970s61980s731990s1472000s1242010s852020s
Recorded events in Hudson County by decade and hazard group. HailTornadoFloodWindWinterTropicalHeatColdDroughtWildfireLightningOther NCEI recorded only tornadoes, hail and thunderstorm wind before 1996.

Trend: 277 events in the 20 years to 2025 against 152 in the 20 years before. Reporting practice changed in 1996 and again with automated reports in the 2000s, so decade totals measure the record as much as the weather.

Events by type

Flood157
Wind133
Winter79
Hail19
Other18
Drought11
Heat6
Lightning5
Tropical4
Cold4
Tornado1
Wildfire1
HazardEventsDeathsShare of state's events
■ Flood15734.1%detail
■ Wind13341.4%detail
■ Winter7931.5%detail
■ Hail19—1.6%detail
■ Other18—1.5%
■ Drought11—1.2%
■ Heat630.4%
■ Lightning5—0.8%
■ Tropical4—1.0%
■ Cold4—0.6%
■ Tornado1—0.5%
■ Wildfire1—0.6%

Hazard pages exist for hail, tornado, flood, wind and winter where the county has at least 10 recorded events. "Other" covers heavy rain, debris flow, dust, funnel clouds and similar reports.

Largest recorded events

DateEvent typeGroupMagnitudeProperty damageCrop damageDeathsInjuriesGeography
4 Jul 1999HeatHeat———3—Forecast zone
22 Jan 2016Winter StormWinter———3—Forecast zone
29 Oct 2012High WindWind77 mph$900K—2—Forecast zone
28 Aug 2011FloodFlood———2—County
10 Jun 2008Thunderstorm WindWind70 mph$3K—11County
4 Mar 1999Strong WindWind———1—Forecast zone
1 Sep 2021Flash FloodFlood———1—County
1 Sep 2021Flash FloodFlood————7County
29 Jun 2008Thunderstorm WindWind58 mph$1K——1County
15 May 2018Thunderstorm WindWind60 mph———1County
4 Aug 2020Tropical StormTropical————1Forecast zone
15 Apr 2007FloodFlood—$2.7M———County
2 Apr 2005FloodFlood—$1.0M———Forecast zone
16 Sep 1999Flash FloodFlood—$400K———County
7 Jul 1976TornadoTornadoF1$250K———County
11 Nov 1998High WindWind70 mph$250K———Forecast zone
18 Feb 2011High WindWind62 mph$100K———Forecast zone
2 May 2017Strong WindWind55 mph$100K———Forecast zone

Ranked by deaths, then injuries, then NCEI's damage estimate. Deaths and injuries are NCEI counts (direct plus indirect); no personal details are recorded here.

Federal disaster declarations

DeclaredNumberTypeIncidentTitlePrograms
5 Sep 2021DR-4614Major disasterHurricaneRemnants Of Hurricane IdaIndividual assistance, Public assistance
2 Sep 2021EM-3573EmergencyHurricaneRemnants Of Hurricane IdaPublic assistance
25 Mar 2020DR-4488Major disasterBiologicalCovid-19 PandemicIndividual assistance, Public assistance
13 Mar 2020EM-3451EmergencyBiologicalCovid-19Public assistance
14 Mar 2016DR-4264Major disasterSevere StormSevere Winter Storm And SnowstormPublic assistance
30 Oct 2012DR-4086Major disasterHurricaneHurricane SandyIndividual assistance, Public assistance
28 Oct 2012EM-3354EmergencyHurricaneHurricane SandyPublic assistance
31 Aug 2011DR-4021Major disasterHurricaneHurricane IreneIndividual assistance, Public assistance
27 Aug 2011EM-3332EmergencyHurricaneHurricane IrenePublic assistance
4 Feb 2011DR-1954Major disasterSnowstormSevere Winter Storm And SnowstormPublic assistance
26 Apr 2007DR-1694Major disasterSevere StormSevere Storms And Inland And Coastal FloodingIndividual assistance, Public assistance
19 Sep 2005EM-3257EmergencyHurricaneHurricane Katrina EvacuationPublic assistance
23 Sep 2003EM-3188EmergencyOtherPower OutagePublic assistance
20 Mar 2003EM-3181EmergencySnowstormSnowPublic assistance
19 Sep 2001EM-3169EmergencyFireFires And ExplosionsPublic assistance
1 Nov 2000EM-3156EmergencyOtherWest Nile VirusPublic assistance
17 Sep 1999EM-3148EmergencyHurricaneHurricane Floyd Emergency DeclarationsPublic assistance
19 Nov 1996DR-1145Major disasterSevere StormSevere Storms And FloodingIndividual assistance
13 Jan 1996DR-1088Major disasterSnowstormBlizzard Of 96 (Severe Snow Storm)Public assistance
17 Mar 1993EM-3106EmergencySnowstormSevere BlizzardPublic assistance
18 Dec 1992DR-973Major disasterFloodCoastal Storm, High Tides, Heavy Rain, & FloodingIndividual assistance, Public assistance
19 Oct 1980EM-3083EmergencyDroughtWater ShortagePublic assistance
4 Sep 1971DR-310Major disasterFloodHeavy Rains & FloodingIndividual assistance, Public assistance
18 Aug 1965DR-205Major disasterDroughtWater ShortageIndividual assistance, Public assistance

Declarations in which FEMA designated this county, from the OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). DR: major disaster; EM: emergency; FM: fire management assistance. Programs show whether individual or public assistance was made available.

Flood insurance claims

197820022026
NFIP claims by year of loss in Hudson County, 1978 to 2026 (hover for the amount paid).
Claims since 19785,198
Paid claims3,907
Total paid$177M
Average paid claim$45K
Repetitive-loss properties57353 severe
Residential policies in force2,9903.5% of 85,704 structures
Year of lossClaimsPaid claimsAmount paidAverage paid
2026186$24,790$4,132
2025158$234,174$29,272
202497$745,640$106,520
20232116$399,382$24,961
202294$79,140$19,785
2021645492$13,900,780$28,254
20203514$410,483$29,320
201932$8,245$4,123
20184430$581,413$19,380
20172114$269,906$19,279
20162815$395,661$26,377
2015158$108,143$13,518
2014208$70,430$8,804
20132311$177,440$16,131
20122,3341,937$135,238,191$69,818
2011654475$8,156,585$17,172
201013079$1,914,570$24,235
2009148$19,418$2,427
2008103$10,287$3,429
2007225162$1,920,592$11,856
20062314$134,364$9,597
20053323$535,659$23,290
20046341$396,720$9,676
20034324$101,271$4,220
200253$32,564$10,855

OpenFEMA NFIP claims (v3, as of 8 Sep 2026), aggregated by year of loss; amounts are building, contents and increased-cost-of-compliance payments as recorded. Repetitive-loss counts from the NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (2 Aug 2026); policies in force from the NFIP Residential Penetration Rates file (3 Aug 2026).

National Risk Index

Overall riskRelatively Highscore 97.2 of 100
Expected annual loss$189MRelatively High
Social vulnerabilityVery High
Community resilienceRelatively Moderate
Hazard (NRI)Risk ratingExpected annual loss
Inland floodingRelatively High$128,254,580
Heat waveRelatively High$16,732,676
EarthquakeRelatively Moderate$10,885,870
Coastal floodingVery High$8,304,157
HurricaneRelatively Moderate$7,394,394
Cold waveRelatively High$7,096,013
TornadoRelatively High$5,345,441
Strong windRelatively High$3,157,489
HailRelatively Moderate$493,153
Winter weatherRelatively High$485,094
LightningRelatively Moderate$449,574
Ice stormRelatively Moderate$200,668
DroughtVery Low$9,858
WildfireVery Low$1,011
LandslideVery Low$136

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. Ratings are FEMA's relative comparison of counties; expected annual loss is FEMA's modelled estimate of average yearly building, population and agriculture loss. See how to read the NRI.

Hurricane and tropical storm passes

Tracks within 100 miles49
Tracks within 50 miles20
Hurricane strength within 50 miles2
StormYearClosest approachMax wind while within 100 mi
Elsa202159 mi58 mph
Ida202168 mi46 mph
Fay202039 mi52 mph
Isaias202055 mi63 mph
Andrea201363 mi46 mph
Sandy201288 mi81 mph
Irene201110 mi69 mph
Hanna200855 mi52 mph
Charley2004100 mi40 mph
Floyd199932 mi58 mph
Bertha199643 mi69 mph
Gloria198542 mi86 mph
Henri198564 mi40 mph
Belle197650 mi69 mph
Agnes197251 mi63 mph
Doria197138 mi52 mph
Unnamed Atlantic storm196842 mi63 mph
Unnamed Atlantic storm196146 mi63 mph
Brenda196022 mi58 mph
Donna196060 mi98 mph
Diane195527 mi46 mph
Carol195499 mi115 mph
Able195248 mi58 mph
Unnamed Atlantic storm194493 mi40 mph
Unnamed Atlantic storm194474 mi104 mph

HURDAT2 best-track positions at tropical-storm strength (34 kt) or more, measured from the county's Census centre point; through the 2025 season. Distance from a track is not the same as the extent of the storm's wind, rain or surge.

ZIP codes with flood claims

ZIP codes whose NFIP claims carry this county's code, with the number of claims. Five or more claims are needed for a ZIP page to be indexed.

Questions and answers

How often does it hail in Hudson County, NJ?

NCEI records 19 hail events in Hudson County since 1950, in 11 different years; that is about 0.2 recorded events a year. 3 reports were golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger.

Has Hudson County had a tornado?

Yes. NCEI records 1 tornado in Hudson County since 1950, 0 of them rated (E)F2 or stronger. Tornado deaths recorded: 0.

When was the last federal disaster declaration for Hudson County?

5 Sep 2021: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida, a major disaster declaration for hurricane. The county appears in 24 declarations since 1953.

How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Hudson County, and how much was paid?

5,198 NFIP claims since 1978, 3,907 of them paid, for $177M in total. FEMA publishes these figures redacted and aggregated; individual properties are not identified.

Is Hudson County in the National Risk Index's high-risk band?

FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025) rates the county "Relatively High" for overall risk, "Relatively High" for expected annual loss, "Very High" for social vulnerability and "Relatively Moderate" for community resilience. These ratings are FEMA's relative comparison across all US counties.

How does Hudson County compare with the rest of New Jersey?

948.2 recorded events per 100 square miles against 358.7 statewide, and 7.4 NFIP claims per 1,000 residents against 21.8. The comparison table on this page shows each measure beside the state and national figures.

Provenance

Storm events: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026 (public domain). Declarations: OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, refreshed 1 Oct 2026. Flood claims: OpenFEMA NfipClaims v3 as of 8 Sep 2026; NfipMultipleLossProperties v1 (2 Aug 2026); NfipResidentialPenetrationRates v1 (3 Aug 2026). Risk index: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Hurricane tracks: NHC HURDAT2 through 2025. Population and area: US Census Bureau, 2021 vintage. Built 1 Oct 2026; see the methodology and corrections pages. Hazard hubs: Hail · Tornado · Flood · Wind · Winter.