Flash flooding submerged portions of New Jersey on Monday as Democratic Governor Phil Murphy issued a state of emergency, calling on residents to avoid unnecessary travel and to stay indoors.
Newsweek reached out to the National Weather Service (NWS) via email for comment.
Why It Matters
The declaration marks a critical response to a pattern of increasingly frequent and severe weather pounding the Northeast, including blistering heat waves.
Murphy’s decision to declare the state of emergency enables emergency agencies to deploy resources more rapidly and coordinate across jurisdictions. The call came after the NWS issued multiple flash flood warnings for areas across the state, highlighting the risks posed by sudden heavy rainfall.
Regional emergency declarations are part of a broader trend across the U.S. this summer, as extreme weather has triggered catastrophic flooding in states including Texas and New Mexico.
What To Know
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) was under a ground stop until 10 p.m. ET due to the thunderstorms, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced Monday. LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in New York City was also under a ground stop.
Both Essex and Union Counties in northern New Jersey were under a flash flood warning until 10 p.m. The NWS said on its website: “At 823 PM EDT, local law enforcement reported thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 4.5 and 5.5 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 0.2 to 0.5 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is already occurring.”
The cities that could experience the flash flooding include: Newark, Elizabeth, Plainfield, Linden, Orange, Summit, Millburn, Caldwell, Clark, Fairfield, Union, East Orange, Irvington, West Orange, Montclair, Westfield, Livingston, Rahway, Maplewood, Scotch Plains, Jersey City, Bayonne, Hoboken, Secaucus and Bergenfield.
Burlington County in southern New Jersey is also under a flash flood warning until 11:45 p.m. ET, while Monmouth County and Middlesex County in central New Jersey are under a warning until 11:15 p.m., the NWS says.
Bergen County was under one until 9:45 p.m., as was Hudson County.
Videos of the flooding in the Garden State have taken over social media.
What People Are Saying
North Jersey Buses on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday: “NJ TRANSIT bus service traveling on Route 22 between Bridgewater and Newark is subject to delays of up to 30-minutes due to flooding conditions.”
New Jersey’s Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn LaTourette on X Monday: “When heavy rainfall overwhelms our infrastructure and the ground’s natural ability to absorb water, we see rapid rises in water levels in rivers, streams & underground springs we never notice. When 16% of your State lies in a floodplain, that is an emergency. @NJGov @ReadyNJ”
NJ Board of Public Utilities posted to X on Monday: “🌩️Severe thunderstorms and flooding are in the forecast. Remember to: 📱Charge phones fully 🚗Pay attention to forecasts and travel carefully ⏰Report outages immediately: http://bit.ly/2MhSHV0 ⚠ NEVER touch downed power lines ❌ NEVER drive through flooded areas”
What Happens Next
State and local emergency operation centers remain on alert to respond to new problems, while damage assessments are likely scheduled to commence once waters recede.
Update 7/14/25, 9:45 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.