Tremendous flooding hit Monmouth County and parts of Ocean County Monday (July 6) after heavy rain moved through the area. This was not tidal flooding. The water came from rain alone.
Photos from across the region showed flooded roads, high water in neighborhoods and dangerous conditions for drivers. One of the most serious reports came from the BJ’s Wholesale Club in Ocean Township, where part of the roof collapsed. Thankfully, no injuries or deaths were reported, but the situation could have been much worse.
The National Weather Service received many flooding reports from the area. There were dozens of water rescues after people drove into water that was too deep for their vehicles. Major roads were also closed in several coastal communities. Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune Township had flooding on the first floor and in the emergency room.
The flooding happened because several thunderstorms moved over the same areas again and again. Meteorologists call this “training.” It is similar to train cars moving over the same track. When storms train over one place, rainfall can pile up quickly.
The heaviest rain fell in coastal Monmouth County, where some areas saw more than 4 inches. Inland Monmouth County and northern Ocean County also saw heavy rain, with many places picking up 3 to 4 inches.
Neptune Township had some of the highest rainfall totals, with more than 4.75 inches reported. Allentown, in western Monmouth County, received about 4.5 inches. Jackson Township in Ocean County also saw more than 4 inches of rain.
At one point in Neptune Township, the amount of rain that fell in 30 minutes and in one hour was considered a 1-in-100-year rainfall event. That means this kind of rainfall has about a 1% chance of happening in any given year. That extreme rain helps explain why Neptune, Ocean Township, Deal and nearby communities saw such serious flooding.
The heavy rain was not spread evenly across New Jersey. While parts of Monmouth, Ocean, Camden and Cumberland counties saw very heavy rain, far southeastern New Jersey saw much less. Atlantic City International Airport picked up only 0.14 inches of rain from Saturday to Tuesday.
That sharp difference shows why this storm was so unusual. Some coastal areas saw almost no rain, while nearby communities dealt with flooding, road closures, water rescues and damage from several inches of rain in a short amount of time.
