Winter Weather — Salem, New Jersey

2009-01-19 · Salem, New Jersey

Wider weather episode

A couple of upper-level disturbances moved near the area on the 19th. One clipped the New Jersey coast with a period of mainly light snow, however a secondary one, which was tied to a main disturbance in the eastern Great Lakes, produced an area of moderate to locally heavy snow across mainly portions of northern New Jersey. The enhanced snowfall rates along with temperatures below freezing, produced very slippery conditions. The snow tapered off from southwest to northeast during the early evening hours of the 19th.

A fatal accident occurred during the morning of the 19th when a combination of snow and fog produced slippery roads. The fatal crash occurred in Westampton (Burlington County) when a car slid and went underneath a tractor-trailer. No other details were available. Black ice was blamed for nine accidents in Salem County that occurred during the morning hours of the 19th. As the temperatures dropped along with a coating of snow, patches of ice developed across the area including portions of Mannington, Quinton, Alloway and Pilesgrove townships. The accidents, which involved vehicles sliding off the roadway, occurred between 8:30 PM EST on the 18th and 6:00 AM EST on the 19th. No serious injuries were reported.

Some snowfall totals included; 2.7 inches in Edison (Middlesex County), 2.6 inches in Branchburg (Somerset County), 2.5 inches in Hillsborough (Somerset County), 2.3 inches in Whitehouse Station (Hunterdon County), 2.0 inches in New Brunswick (Middlesex County), 1.9 inches in Somerville (Somerset County), 1.1 inches in Ewing (Mercer County), 1.1 inches in Hamilton (Mercer County), 1.0 inch in Estell Manor (Atlantic County), 0.9 of an inch at the Atlantic City International Airport in Pomona (Atlantic County), 0.8 of an inch in National Park (Gloucester County), 0.8 of an inch in Ocean City (Cape May County), 0.7 of an inch in Morris Township (Morris County), 0.5 of an inch in Seaville (Cape May County), 0.5 of an inch in Haddonfield (Camden County), 0.4 of an inch in Mount Holly (Burlington County) and 0.1 of an inch two-tenths of a mild south of Lake Como (Monmouth County.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 149451. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.