Winter Weather — Western Ocean, New Jersey

2007-03-07 · Western Ocean, New Jersey

Wider weather episode

An Alberta Clipper low pressure system dropped light snow across New Jersey during the day on the 7th. Accumulations averaged 1 to 3 inches with some higher amounts in Cape May County. The recent unseasonably cold weather made it easier for the snow to accumulate on roadways and bridges and overpasses during the early morning and also during heavier bursts of snow. Consequently untreated roadways were slippery and many accidents were reported, especially during the morning commute. New Jersey State Police responded to over 200 accidents during the morning commute. Snow began falling between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. EST on the 7th across most of the state and by 8 a.m. EST across the extreme southern part of New Jersey. The snow ended later that day from north to south between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. EST.

Two teenagers died in an automobile accident in Jackson Township (Ocean County). The 17-year-old brother was driving with his 16-year-old sister on their way to school when his car slid off of Freehold Road and crashed into a tree. In Atlantic City (Atlantic County), the Blackhorse Pike (U.S. Routes 40 and 322) was closed in both directions for about an hour after a car struck and light pole and downed wires across both sides of the pike. The driver slid off the ramp and into a pole off of Exit 2 of the Atlantic City Expressway. Interstate 78 was tied up in Hunterdon County during the morning commute. A disabled vehicle near mile marker 10 in Bethlehem Township was the cause. Numerous accidents were reported across Interstate 80 in northern New Jersey. In Middlesex County, the average speed along U.S. Route 1 in South Brunswick was only 10 mph.

Actual accumulations included 3.6 inches in West Cape May (Cape May County), 3.3 inches in Scotch Bonnet (Cape May County), 3.0 inches in Margate (Atlantic County), 2.8 inches in Ocean City (Cape May County) and Williamstown (Gloucester County), 2.5 inches in Tabernacle (Burlington County), Berlin and Blackwood (both Camden County), 2.2 inches at the Atlantic City International Airport (Atlantic County), 2.0 inches in Bayville (Ocean County), 1.8 inches in Somerdale (Camden County) and Pittsgrove (Salem County), 1.7 inches in Hammonton (Atlantic County) and Cream Ridge (Monmouth County), 1.5 inches in Westampton Township (Burlington County)and Maurice River (Cumberland County), 1.2 inches in Ewing (Mercer County), Manasquan (Monmouth County) and New Brunswick (Middlesex County), 1.0 inch in Broadway (Warren County), 0.7 inches in Hillsborough (Somerset County), 0.6 inches in Whippany (Morris County) and 0.5 inches in Newton (Sussex County).

The Alberta Clipper as it name implies moved rapidly southeast from southeastern Montana at 7 a.m. EST on March 6th, to near Saint Louis, Missouri at 7 a.m. EST on March 7th, to the Virginia/West Virginia border at 1 p.m. EST on March 7th, to about 150 miles east of Virginia Beach, Virginia at 7 p.m. EST on March 7th. The rapid movement of the low pressure system prevented heavier snow from falling.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 21251. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.