⚠️ ACTIVE FLOOD RISK — see status below
Hudson Avenue Corridor · ZIP 07047

Live flood warning for North Bergen residents

Built by neighbors. Validated against 7 documented basement-flooding events. Powered by the National Weather Service. Free, open, and not going anywhere.

Current threat level
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Fetching live hourly precipitation forecast for ZIP 07047 from api.weather.gov
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Peak rate next 48 h
in/hr
Hours over 0.8″/hr
in next 48 h
Total expected
inches, 48 h

48-hour rainfall forecast

Hourly precipitation rates from NWS gridded forecast. The red line is 0.8 inches per hour — the validated threshold at which the combined sewer system loses capacity and basements begin to flood.

Forecast rainfall (in/hr)
0.8″/hr flood threshold
0.5″/hr watch threshold

Source: NWS gridpoint forecast for 40.79°N, 74.02°W. Last updated . Page auto-refreshes every 15 minutes.

How does this site know when flooding is coming?

Every time you open or refresh this page, your browser pulls the next 156 hours of hourly rainfall forecast directly from api.weather.gov — the official US National Weather Service. The page then scans that forecast for any hour above 0.8″/hr, the validated threshold at which the corridor's combined sewer system loses capacity.

While the tab stays open, the page re-checks NWS every 15 minutes and again whenever you switch back to it. There is no server, no database, and no tracking — the entire warning system is one HTML file talking directly to the federal weather service.

What this means for you: bookmark this page and open it before any rain in the forecast. If you want to be alerted automatically (text or email) when the forecast crosses the threshold, email nbfloodwatch@gmail.com and we'll add you when alerting goes live.

The 7 documented events

Every basement flooding event on the Hudson Avenue corridor between 2020 and 2025 corresponds to a storm where peak hourly rainfall met or exceeded 0.8 inches per hour. No exceptions. No events below the threshold.

Date Storm Daily Total Peak Rate NWS Warning
Jul 22, 2020 Summer thunderstorm complex 1.5–2.5″ ~1.0–1.5″/hr Yes
Jul 8, 2021 TS Elsa remnants + thunderstorms 2.0–4.7″ ~1.5–2.0″/hr Yes
Aug 21, 2021 Tropical Storm Henri 2.0–4.0″ ~1.0–2.0″/hr Yes
Sep 1, 2021 Hurricane Ida remnants 3.0–8.0+″ 3.0+″/hr Flash Flood Emergency
Sep 29, 2023 TS Ophelia remnants + coastal low 3.0–8.0+″ 1.0–2.5″/hr Yes
Dec 23, 2023 Winter nor'easter 2.0–3.5″ ~0.8–1.2″/hr Flood Advisory
Jul 14, 2025 Severe thunderstorms 1.5–2.3″ 1.0–2.0″/hr Yes — State of Emergency
"The Office of Emergency Management noted that intense rainfall of greater than 0.8 inches per hour could result in flooding in low-lying areas." — Hoboken OEM, September 29, 2023 storm advisory

Hoboken OEM independently uses the same threshold — and shares the same combined sewer infrastructure (North Hudson Sewerage Authority) as our corridor. This is not a guess. It is the physical capacity limit of an aging combined sewer system.

Why this corridor floods

The infrastructure has not changed since 2020. The physics has not changed. The storms are getting worse.

1 system

Combined sewers

Stormwater and sanitary sewage share the same pipes along the Hudson County waterfront. When rain inflow exceeds capacity, the only relief valve is your basement floor drain.

0.8″/hr

The hard limit

Approximate physical capacity of the trunk sewer line serving Hudson Avenue. Above this rate, the hydraulic grade line rises above basement floor level and water enters through every low-point opening.

+4%

Per °F warmer

A warmer atmosphere holds about 4% more water per degree Fahrenheit. Cornell's 2021 study confirms NJ extreme rainfall is exceeding NOAA Atlas 14 predictions — the trend is accelerating.

62%

El Niño chance, JJA 2026

NOAA Climate Prediction Center favors El Niño emerging by June–August 2026, increasing East Coast moisture transport. More fuel for the convective storms that already trip the threshold.

86%

Jul–Sep window

Six of seven documented events occurred between July and September. The flood season is predictable. Heightened alert from late June through early October is justified.

12–24 h

NWS lead time

Every one of the 7 events had a corresponding NWS flash flood watch or warning issued in advance. The forecasting works. We just need it routed to the people who need it.

What to do when this site goes red

A 12–24 hour heads-up is enough to save thousands of dollars in property damage. Run this checklist when the threat level reads WATCH or WARNING.

The five-year record

Residents have raised the Woodcliff flooding issue with North Bergen Township since 2021. Below is a factual timeline drawn from email correspondence between residents, township officials, and the township's engineering firms. Names have been omitted; this is about the record, not individuals.

Bottom line

Five years of documented communication. Two declared "completed" infrastructure projects. The worst flooding year on record happened after those repairs (July 2025), under storms no larger than a typical summer thunderstorm. The township's own engineer recommended a parallel trunk line and a Hudson Avenue pump station in August 2025. As of the most recent town hall (March 26, 2026), neither has been funded, and the proposed solution was characterized as "not a 100% solution."

2021
Issue formally raised
Residents begin formal correspondence with the township after Hurricane Ida (Sep 1, 2021), described by the township as a "100-year storm."
Sep – Nov 2022
Point repairs identified · contract awarded
Township staff confirm catch-basin work on 77th Street is part of the flood-mitigation project. In November, a township official confirms the contract has been awarded for the final phase — pipe replacement on 75th Street between Hudson and Broadway. Supply-chain delays cited.
Dec 23 – 27, 2022
Christmas Eve flooding · seventh occurrence
A resident documents the seventh basement-flooding event since 2019. A neighbor's basement takes five inches of water. The previous owner of that home had spent roughly $200,000 in insurance and personal funds on repairs before selling due to repeat flooding. Township response: "all of the point repairs initially discussed with you and the group have been completed, with the exception of 75th st."
Apr 5 – 19, 2023
Project status reversed in two weeks
A township staffer first informs a resident that repair work on one of the affected blocks would begin "the week of the 17th." Two weeks later the same staffer apologizes and clarifies the project starting that week was on a different block, and that the previously discussed project "has already been completed." The resident, in writing, describes the specific failure mode along the corridor: catch basin overwhelms at roughly 1″/hr, and basement flooding follows.
Jul 17, 2024
Brief reprieve · attributed to gutter cleaning
A resident reports about 18 months of relative calm, attributed to periodic gutter and basin cleaning. Asks that the cleaning resume during summer months. The improvement was operational (maintenance), not infrastructural.
Jul 14 – 16, 2025
Worst flooding since Hurricane Ida
The Hudson Avenue corridor takes nearly two feet of street water; basements take 2 – 3 feet. A resident describes bailing the basement entry stairwell with a bucket from 10 PM to 1 AM while two sump pumps run continuously. A second resident writes: "how can we revive the community meetings around the flooding issues?"
Jul 21, 2025
First in-person community meeting proposed
A township commissioner proposes a meeting at a local school with the township's engineering firm. Acknowledges federal assistance will be needed.
Aug 14 – 15, 2025
Engineer presents bandaid + long-term options
The township's engineer presents flood analysis. Confirms Woodcliff is geographically vulnerable based on elevation alone. Two prior projects acknowledged (75th Street pipe, 85th Street post-Ida). Proposed quick fix: a parallel trunk line. Proposed long term: a pump station on Hudson Avenue — something residents had requested for years. Residents are asked to call state and federal legislators themselves to advocate for funding.
Aug 17, 2025
Failure under ~1.3″ of total rainfall
Catch basins overflow on 74th Street under what Hudson County stations recorded as roughly 1.3 inches of total rainfall — not an extreme event. Basements take six or more inches of water. Residents call the police; the response is that they cannot help and there is no follow-up with DPW. This is the failure mode this site is built to flag in advance.
Aug 20, 2025
Residents formally request grants, bonds, follow-up date
A resident writes: "the threat of future floods will permanently and substantially reduce the value of our homes and quality of life; it has begun to do so already." Requests a firm date for a September follow-up meeting. Township response: "we are looking for any grants possible" and "I just wanted to wait until we have some concrete ideas."
Sep 11, 2025
Public meeting deflected to private 2-person meeting
The commissioner proposes a private meeting with two residents rather than a community-wide follow-up: "I say only 2 people because we hold these meetings in our office."
Oct 12, 2025
Storm-prep gap before forecast event
Ahead of a forecast severe-weather weekend, residents ask for confirmation that DPW has cleared catch basins and vacuumed manholes. By this point, multiple homes report furnaces and boilers damaged from prior events. A resident writes: "my furnace is on cinder blocks and in the last storm rain managed to reach above 6 inches. This is no way to live."
Feb 5, 2026
Six-month silence broken
A resident asks for any update since the prior September. The stated reasons for inaction: residents had not organized a meeting; the township had to confirm whether its engineering firm would continue; and snow. A new meeting is proposed for early March.
Feb – Mar 2026
Scheduling cycle
The March meeting is rescheduled multiple times and ultimately relocated from the community school to Town Hall. A resident requests a written executive summary in lieu of further delays. Meeting confirmed for March 26 at 6 PM.
Mar 26 – 27, 2026
Town hall held · "not a 100% solution"
The town hall is held. The township's own summary states: "we all know nothing will be a 100% solution; however the steps that we are taking and proposing will be a start in the right direction." A new resident damage survey is promised but not yet issued as of the publish date of this page.

What we are asking for

  1. Build the parallel trunk line the township's engineer proposed in August 2025.
  2. Plan and fund the Hudson Avenue pump station, as residents have requested for years.
  3. Publish a project timeline with named funding sources (FEMA BRIC, NJDEP, IRA flood mitigation, municipal bond).
  4. Run proactive catch-basin cleaning before every NWS Flash Flood Watch — not just after.
  5. Issue quarterly written updates to affected residents while infrastructure work is pending.

All quotations are drawn verbatim from email correspondence between residents and township officials. Names omitted intentionally.

Organize: lower your taxes, raise the pressure

Recurring flood damage is a legally recognized basis to appeal your property tax assessment in New Jersey. Done individually it saves each homeowner real money. Done collectively, it forces the township to choose: keep paying out reduced tax revenue every year, or finally fund the infrastructure fix. The math eventually makes the pump station look cheap.

1

Individual tax appeal

File a property tax appeal with the Hudson County Board of Taxation. Repeat flooding is a documented physical defect that reduces market value. Most affected homeowners can win a 5–15% assessment reduction — typically $500–$3,000 a year in tax savings.

  • Deadline: April 1 of each tax year
  • Filing fee: $25 (assessments under $1M)
  • No lawyer required for residential appeals
  • Form A-1 (Petition of Appeal) + evidence packet

Evidence to include: photos of past flooding, repair invoices, insurance claim records, and a printed copy of this site's 5-year record showing the area's documented flood history.

Tradeoff to consider: a successful appeal lowers your taxes, but it also puts the flood-prone status on the public assessment record. Some homeowners weigh that against future resale or refinancing plans before filing.

Note: under NJ's 2024 Flood Disclosure Law, sellers must disclose flood history to buyers regardless of whether they appealed. The appeal mostly affects how visible the flood-prone status is to lenders, appraisers, and the public record — not whether you have to disclose.

Hudson County Board of Taxation →
2

Group appeal (stronger together)

A neighborhood that files appeals together, with shared evidence, is generally harder for the assessor to dismiss. One coordinated evidence packet, one expert witness fee split among many homes, one consistent legal argument.

When multiple homes in the same corridor win reductions in the same year, it can lower the township's tax base — which is one of several factors that influence whether capital projects get funded.

Filing as a group does not guarantee success. Each appeal is decided on its own evidence, and the County Board of Taxation can rule in any direction. Strong individual evidence (photos, repair invoices, claim records) still matters most.

To be matched with neighbors filing in the same cycle, email nbfloodwatch@gmail.com with subject line “Group Tax Appeal”. We'll connect you with others on your block and share a starter evidence packet.

3

FEMA Repetitive Loss designation

If enough properties in the corridor document repeat flood losses, the area can be designated a FEMA Repetitive Loss Area. That designation unlocks federal mitigation grant eligibility — specifically HMGP (Hazard Mitigation Grant Program) and FMA (Flood Mitigation Assistance) funds, which can pay for backflow valves, sewer separation, and pump station construction.

The threshold is documented loss claims, not opinion. Every flood report submitted to this site, every NFIP claim filed, and every FEMA Individual Assistance application strengthens the case.

FEMA mitigation grants →

Want help getting started?

Email us with subject line “Tax Appeal Help” and we'll send a starter evidence packet, the Form A-1 PDF, and a one-page how-to written for non-lawyers.

Email nbfloodwatch@gmail.com
NJ LAW · Effective March 20, 2024

Buying, selling, or renting? Flood history must be disclosed.

Under New Jersey's Flood Risk Notification Law (P.L. 2023, c. 93), every seller and landlord in the state is legally required to disclose known flood history and FEMA flood zone status to buyers and tenants — using the state's official disclosure form, before a contract or lease is signed.

If you're a buyer or renter

  • You have a legal right to receive the disclosure form before signing.
  • It must list every prior flood event, every insurance claim, and whether the property is in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area.
  • If the seller/landlord knew and didn't disclose, you may have grounds to rescind the contract or sue for damages.
  • Did you buy or rent a home in this corridor without being told it floods? Save the listing, the contract, and any text/email — then talk to a NJ real estate attorney.

If you're a seller or landlord

  • Disclosure is mandatory — not optional, not waivable.
  • The form is published by the NJ Department of Community Affairs (DCA).
  • Failure to disclose can void the sale and expose you to civil liability.
  • Honesty also makes a stronger property tax appeal: a property documented as flood-prone is, by definition, worth less.

Why this matters for the corridor: every disclosure filed for a Hudson Avenue home is now public-record evidence that this neighborhood floods.

Read the law (PDF) → NJ DCA disclosure form →

This is general information, not legal or tax advice. For complex appeals or commercial properties, consult a New Jersey property tax attorney.

Report a flood

Did your home or street flood? Add it to the public record. Reports help validate the threshold model, push for funding, and build the resident-led dataset behind this site. Anonymous is fine.

Send a quick email

nbfloodwatch@gmail.com

Include whatever you can — even one or two of these is useful:

  • Date of the flood
  • Street / block
  • Water depth — seepage, inches, or feet
  • Where it entered — basement walls, floor drains, stairs, garage, yard
  • Damage — furnace, boiler, water heater, finished space, vehicles
  • Photos if you have them

Names and contact info are never published. Reports are aggregated as anonymous data points.

✉ Open email with template

On a phone, the button opens your default mail app. On a computer, just copy the address and email us from anywhere — Gmail, Outlook, your phone later.

34 homes documented across 7 streets

Voluntarily reported by residents in the Woodcliff section. Not exhaustive — more homes are affected than listed. Specific addresses and names are kept private to protect residents.

34

Homes documented

Verified self-reports of repeated basement flooding from residents along the Woodcliff corridor.

7

Streets affected

Concentrated along the lowest-elevation block of the corridor where the trunk sewer line bottlenecks.

7

Documented events

Storms since 2020 that crossed the 0.8″/hr threshold and produced reported basement flooding.

5+ yrs

Tracking history

Resident-led recordkeeping cross-referenced with NWS, CoCoRaHS, and NJ State Climatologist data.

Affected resident? Reach out to be added to the documented list — anonymously is fine.