Flash Flood — Union, New Jersey

1996-10-19 to 1996-10-20 · near Springfield, Union, New Jersey

Wider weather episode

On Friday October 18th, a strong low pressure system developed on a cold front over the DelMarVa Peninsula. With a high pressure system in place across Northern New England, the low intensified as it moved slowly off the Southern New Jersey Coast during the 19th.The difference in pressures caused strong and gusty east winds, which transported abundant moisture from the Atlantic Ocean across the region. Heavy flood producing rains resulted with amounts up to 8 inches. Although the rain ended by midnight on the 20th, river flooding extended until almost midnight on the 21st.Heavy rainfall produced serious flooding of many rivers and small streams as well as serious widespread street and poor drainage flooding.The Rahway River in Springfield (Union County) reached its' second highest level of record. In Cranford, downstream of the Springfield gage, 100 homes were evacuated, and in Rahway, further downstream, 75 homes and one high rise apartment were evacuated due to rising flood waters. Early reports from the Union County Emergency Management Office estimate $4 million dollars in damage to private homeowners and $300,000 in township damages.Five gaged rivers exceeded their flood stages: the Saddle River at Lodi, the Ramapo River at Mahwah, the Rahway River at Springfield, Hohokus Brook at Hohokus, and the Third River at Bloomfield.In Passaic County, one fatality occurred in Paterson when a 47 year old man lost control of his car while driving on rain-slicken roads and crashed into a bus. Significant flooding was observed in Wayne, Little Falls, Clifton, and Paterson.In Essex County, the towns of Millburn, Short Hills, and Fairfield were hit hard. In Fairfield (like in so many other areas), several roads were forced to close due to flooding as the Passaic River crested. Commerce Road was under two feet of water leaving several vehicles stuck. Sections of Horseneck Road and Bloomfield Ave. were also impassable. In Roseland, the Mayor estimated that the cost to repair erosion damage to the culverts of Canoe and Fullerton Brooks was up to $5 million dollars.In Hudson County, low-lying roads across the entire county were shut by several feet of water including: Lincoln Highway and Route 440 in Jersey City and Kearny; Meadowlands Parkway and Secaucus Road in Secaucus; Observer Highway in Hoboken; and West Side Ave. in North Bergen.A presidential disaster was declared for people in Union and Hudson Counties.Here are selected rainfall amounts for:Union County (5 to 8 inches): from 5.15 inches at New Providence to 7.99 inches at Mountainside.Essex County (4 to 8 inches): from 4.12 inches at Newark Airport (a new daily record) to 7.68 inches in Verona.Hudson County (4 to 5 inches): from 4.46 inches at Harrison to 5.04 inches at Jersey City.Passaic County (3 to 6 inches): from 3.25 inches at Greenwood Lake to 6.36 inches at Wayne.Bergen County (3 to 5 inches): from 3.50 inches at Ramsey to 5.26 inches at Lodi.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5582261. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.