How'd Hoboken Do During 3-Day Tropical Rainstorm?

HOBOKEN, NJ — As a "homegrown" tropical storm swirled slowly up the East Coast from Friday through Monday morning, the city of Hoboken got hit with several long periods of rain and was under a flood watch. But unlike during past storms, flooding was minimal, the city said.

That's due, in part, to pump stations and to Hoboken's newer parks built to retain millions of gallons of stormwater.

Ophelia brought 2.15 inches of rain over the weekend, Bhalla noted, which is on par with what other towns in the area received. (For comparison, the deadly Tropical Storm Ida dumped 7 inches in some towns in 2021.)

"There were very little, if any prolonged flooding incidents in Hoboken," Mayor Ravi Bhalla noted in a message on Wednesday. "The North Hudson Sewerage Authority’s H1 and H5 Pump Stations pumped a total of 17 million gallons of stormwater out of Hoboken during the storm.

"Additionally, the surface green infrastructure and subsurface stormwater detention systems in our three resiliency parks (ResilienCity Park, 7th and Jackson, and Southwest Resiliency Parks) withheld stormwater from our streets."

The new ResilienCity Park can hold up to 2 million gallons of stormwater, the city has said. See before and after photos above.

See the city's full message below.

Heavy Rain In The Forecast For Friday

Sick of rain? You may not want to look at Friday's forecast. The National Weather Service said the area may get as much as 1.5 inches of rain, with wind gusts. The forecast is here.

High tide, when the city is most likely to experience flooding, will be at 9:23 p.m. Friday and then at 9:46 a.m. Saturday.

Meanwhile, a tropical disturbance has been lurking in the Atlantic, behind Tropical Storm Philippe. The National Hurricane Center predicts it could become Tropical Storm Rina next week. Track both storms here.

Below is an updated from Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla on Tropical Storm Ophelia and the City's flood mitigation efforts:

Dear Neighbors,

I hope this letter finds you in high spirits as you enjoy the sunshine that we are seeing for the first time in a while. I am writing to provide an update on the recent weather event that impacted our city, Tropical Storm Ophelia. I was briefed earlier today by staff, and want to share some key information regarding the storm's potential impact and the measures taken by the City, that mitigated our risk of flooding.

I’m glad to share that while Tropical Storm Ophelia brought a significant amount of rainfall to our area, with a total of 2.15 inches of rain falling through Monday morning, there were very little, if any prolonged flooding incidents in Hoboken. The North Hudson Sewerage Authority’s H1 and H5 Pump Stations pumped a total of 17 million gallons of stormwater out of Hoboken during the storm. Additionally, the surface green infrastructure and subsurface stormwater detention systems in our three resiliency parks (ResilienCity Park, 7th and Jackson, and Southwest Resiliency Parks) withheld stormwater from our streets.

It is through these investments in our infrastructure, our commitment to resilience, the tireless efforts of our city's dedicated employees, and the unwavering support of Hoboken residents that we can handle storms more effectively. Thank you for your continued patience and cooperation, as we work to build a stronger more resilient Hoboken. While we will never be able to fully eliminate flooding during the most severe of storms, the weekend was proof that our flood mitigation infrastructure and resiliency efforts can make a difference and alleviate flooding during many heavy rain events that could have, in previous decades, flooded certain areas in our city.

As a reminder, for more information on the City’s ongoing sustainability and resiliency initiatives, please visit https://www.hobokennj.gov/resources/sustainability.