Winter Weather — Northwestern Burlington, New Jersey

2008-12-21 · Northwestern Burlington, New Jersey

Wider weather episode

A wintry mix of precipitation fell during the first half of the day into the early afternoon on the 21st across most of New Jersey. Along the immediate shore, precipitation fell as plain rain. Precipitation in the central and southern part of the state inland fell mainly as freezing rain with a little bit of sleet. Ice accretions averaged one tenth to two tenths of an inch. In the Raritan River Basin precipitation started as snow, but changed to sleet and freezing rain quickly. Snow and sleet accumulations averaged around half an inch and ice accretions between one tenth and two tenths of an inch. In Warren and Morris Counties, precipitation started as snow, but changed to sleet and freezing rain before it ended. Snow and sleet accumulations averaged one to three inches. In Sussex County, precipitation fell mainly as snow with accumulations averaging around three inches.

The wintry mix and freezing rain made for slippery travel on untreated roadways. Because the 21st was a Sunday morning, the number of reported accidents was relatively low. One of the worst reported accidents occurred in Burlington County on the New Jersey Turnpike near Bordentown where two buses and two vehicles collided. Seventeen people suffered minor injuries.

Actual snow and sleet accumulations included 2.9 inches in Butler (Morris County), 2.4 inches in Wantage (Sussex County), 2.2 inches in Rockaway (Morris County), 1.3 inches in Blairstown (Warren County) and 1.1 inches in Branchburg (Somerset County).

The wintry mix was caused by a low pressure system that moved from the Mississippi Valley on the morning of the 20th east into southwest Ontario Province on the morning of the 21st. A secondary low pressure system formed on the system's triple point over North Carolina that morning and moved northeast passing Cape Cod as it became the primary low pressure system early in the evening on the 21st. The secondary low pressure system helped maintain surface winds from the northeast and kept temperatures below freezing until the event ended on the morning of the 21st.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 143267. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.