Rutgers Climatologist Can Discuss Torrential Rainfall in New Jersey

New Brunswick, N.J. (June 20, 2019) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor David A. Robinson, the New Jersey State Climatologist, is available for interviews on this week’s extremely wet weather in much of New Jersey. Torrential rainfall has spawned major flooding in southern parts of the state.

A series of storms laden with excessive rain pounded portions of Gloucester, Camden and Burlington counties yesterday afternoon into early this morning. This led to flash flooding of local streams and rivers, the overtopping of several dams and the inundation of some neighborhoods and roadways, according to Robinson, who oversees the Rutgers NJ Weather Network.

Some of the larger rainfall totals from the New Jersey Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS), which Robinson helps coordinate, include: 8.03 inches in Tabernacle (Burlington County); 5.76 inches in Medford Lakes (Burlington County); 4.9 inches in Southampton (Burlington County); and 4.41 inches in Mount Ephraim (Camden County). The top Rutgers NJ Weather Network totals include 5.29 inches in West Deptford (Gloucester County); 4.49 inches in Cherry Hill (Camden County); and 4.43 inches in Red Lion (Burlington County). West Deptford received 3.39 inches in just 70 minutes between 12:50 a.m. and 2 a.m. today, according to Robinson, a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Geography.

Maps on the Rutgers NJ Weather Network Facebook page show CoCoRaHS rainfall totals for the 24 hours that ended earlier this morning. The graphs depict discharge and water level height reports from a stream gauge on the South Branch of Rancocas Creek in Vincentown. The creek rose more than 7 feet from the storms, with more than 60 times the normal amount of water flowing downstream this morning.

Broadcast interviews: Rutgers University has broadcast-quality TV and radio studios available for remote live or taped interviews with Rutgers experts. For more information, contact Neal Buccino at [email protected] Robinson is available to comment at [email protected] or 848-445-4741.