Flash Flood — Salem, New Jersey

2011-08-14 · near Oakwood Beach, Salem, New Jersey

Event narrative

Thunderstorms with repeated torrential downpours caused flash flooding with damaging effects across eastern Salem County, especially in Pittsgrove Township. A county state of emergency was declared. At least one water rescue was reported. Flooding was reported in Alloway, Pittsgrove, Elmer and Upper Pittsgrove Townships. Fourteen roadways, nine bridges and many culverts were damaged, most in Pittsgrove Township. Some families were evacuated in Pittsgrove Township around Palatine and Centerton Lakes. Two bridges washed away in the township on Greenville and Burlington Roads. It was expected to take six to twelve months for both bridges to be replaced. Two other township roadways remained closed into the 19th. In spite of being drained prior to the rain, Centeron Lake filled and flooded. A few homes were half submerged by flood waters along Palatine Lake. In Elmer, Elmer Lake also flooded. Event precipitation totals included 9.64 inches in Elmer and 5.89 inches in Woodstown.

Wider weather episode

A series of thunderstorms preceding a cold front dropped three to seven inches of rain across a wide swath of New Jersey (less along most of the coast) from overnight on the 13th into the day on the 14th. But in southern Gloucester, Eastern Salem and Western Cumberland County, rainfall amounts reached seven to eleven inches. Scattered thunderstorms occurred into the 15th and morning of the 16th. This slowed the recession of rivers and streams in the state. The combined event caused severe flash flooding with dam breaks in southwestern New Jersey and flash flooding and flooding across central and northern New Jersey. Damage estimates reached around 25 million dollars, most of which occurred in Salem and Cumberland Counties.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (39.5090, -75.5330)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 346261. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.