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Tornado in Ocean County, New Jersey
20 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.
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. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
NCEI records 20 tornado events in Ocean County, New Jersey, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 15 years.
July is the busiest month, with 7 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 10 events against 4 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 9.7% of the 207 tornado events recorded in New Jersey; its 3.2 per 100 square miles compares with 2.8 statewide.
By rating: 7 at (E)F0, 6 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with New Jersey
| Measure | Ocean County | New Jersey | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 20 | 207 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.2 | 2.8 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 0.3 | 0.2 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 1 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | July | July | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
1Apr
3May
0Jun
2Jul
7Aug
4Sep
1Oct
1Nov
1Dec
0
Magnitude distribution
Enhanced Fujita scale wind estimates
- EF0/F0
- 65–85 mph (EF0)
- EF1/F1
- 86–110 mph (EF1)
- EF2/F2
- 111–135 mph (EF2)
- EF3/F3
- 136–165 mph (EF3)
- EF4/F4
- 166–200 mph (EF4)
- EF5/F5
- over 200 mph (EF5)
- Unrated
- no rating recorded
Tornado rating as recorded (Fujita scale before February 2007, Enhanced Fujita after).
Recorded events
All 20 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Apr 2023 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2023 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 2021 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | 8 | County |
| 29 Jul 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 1999 | Tornado | F2 | $4.2M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 21 Oct 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Nov 1989 | Tornado | F0 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 1988 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 1983 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 1974 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Mar 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 5 | County |
| 1 Jul 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1958 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Ocean County had?
20 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of tornadoes became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded tornado event in Ocean County?
1 Apr 2023 (Tornado, EF2). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Ocean County?
The tornado of 20 Aug 1999, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $4.2M.
How does Ocean County compare with New Jersey for tornado?
3.2 events per 100 square miles against 2.8 statewide; the county holds 20 of the state's 207 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.