High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The effects of Hurricane Irene in New Jersey included about $1 billion in damage to 200,000 homes and buildings. This made it the costliest disaster in the state`s history. Irene struck the state on August 28, and was initially reported to be the first hurricane to hit New Jersey since 1903; however, post-analysis downgraded Irene to a tropical storm at its landfall in the Little Egg Inlet.