Blizzard — Eastern Cape May, New Jersey

2010-02-06 · Eastern Cape May, New Jersey

Wider weather episode

A major winter storm dropped 20 to 30 inches of snow across the southern third of New Jersey, 10 to 20 inches across the central third of New Jersey and less than 10 inches of snow north of Interstate 78 in the northern third of New Jersey from the afternoon of the 5th into the afternoon of the 6th. Blizzard conditions occurred in the southeastern part during the early morning of the 6th as winds gusted up to 50 mph. The 18.2 inches of snow that fell at the Atlantic City International Airport (Atlantic County) was the 3rd highest single snowfall event on record. The 28.5 inches of snow that fell at the Philadelphia International Airport was the 2nd highest single snowfall event on record and the 25.8 inches of snow that fell at the New Castle County Airport in Delaware was the highest single event on record. Cape May County was particularly hard hit by this storm with more than 70,000 homes and businesses losing power. Power was not fully restored until February 17th.

Snow spread south to north across New Jersey from the late afternoon on the 5th. The snow reached as far north as the Interstate 80 corridor around Midnight EST on the 6th, but failed to reach the New York State border. The snow fell heavy at times across central and southern New Jersey during the first half of the day on the 6th and blizzard conditions occurred in southeastern New Jersey during the early morning of the 6th. The snow ended from north to south on the 6th. It ended by Noon EST in the northern half of the state and during the afternoon in the southern half of the state.

Many county and municipalities declared snow emergencies. States of Emergencies were also declared in the southeastern part of the state. A travel ban was in effect in Atlantic and Cape May Counties. About 100,000 homes and businesses lost power in the state with the bulk of the outages in Atlantic and Cape May Counties. Some roads and highways in southern New Jersey were impassable. Speed limits were reduced on the Delaware River bridges and the New Jersey Turnpike. Amtrak canceled train service. New Jersey Transit and Buses either canceled or reduced service in the southern half of the state on the 6th. Atlantic City International Airport was closed. Many businesses, stores and malls were closed in the southern half of the state on the 6th. Events were canceled or postponed. Some southern New Jersey schools had delayed openings on Monday the 8th. Where the snow was relatively lighter, more accidents and fender benders were reported. In Middlesex County, twenty accidents occurred on the New Jersey Turnpike. Two accidents with injuries occurred in Hamilton (Mercer County). Most snow removal budgets were exceeded after this event.

Cape May County was hardest hit as the wetter nature of the snow combined with blizzard winds to topple or snap numerous trees and poles. About 70,000 homes and businesses lost power. Numerous shelters were opened. There were still about 43,000 homes and businesses without power as of the late afternoon on the 7th and still 11,000 when the next winter storm started. Power was not fully restored until the 17th of the month. In Atlantic County, three shelters were opened. On March 23, 2010, President Barack Obama declared Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem Counties a Major Disaster Area. Federal funding was now available through the Public Assistance Grant Program to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the snowstorm.

Representative snowfall included 28.5 inches in National Park (Gloucester County), 28.2 inches in Sewell (Gloucester County), 27.0 inches in Waterford (Camden County), 25.5 inches in Pennsauken (Camden County), 24.2 inches in Vineland (Cumberland County), 24.0 inches in Estell Manor (Atlantic County) and Pittsgrove (Salem County), 23.5 inches in Glassboro (Gloucester County), 22.0 inches in Millville (Cumberland County), 21.5 inches in Quinton (Salem County), 21.0 inches in Hammonton (Atlantic County), Swainton (Cape May County), Cherry Hill (Camden County) and Willingboro (Burlington County), 19.6 inches in Tabernacle (Burlington County), 19.0 inches in Maple Shade (Burlington County), Beachwood and Brick (both Ocean County), 18.2 inches at the Atlantic City International Airport, 17.0 inches in North Cape May (Cape May County), 15.6 inches in Absecon (Atlantic County), 15.2 inches in Margate (Atlantic County), 15.0 inches in Colts Neck (Monmouth County) and Point Pleasant (Ocean County), 12.0 inches in Hamilton (Mercer County) and Manalapan (Monmouth County), 10.4 inches in Ewing (Mercer County), 9.0 inches in Aberdeen (Monmouth County), 8.4 inches in Old Bridge (Middlesex County), 8.3 inches in Flemington (Hunterdon County), 7.0 inches in Kingwood (Hunterdon County) and North Brunswick (Middlesex County), 6.8 inches in Hillsborough (Somerset County), 6.0 inches in Stewartsville (Warren County), 5.5 inches in Bridgewater (Somerset County), 3.4 inches in Long Hill (Morris County), 1.4 inches in Mount Olive (Morris County) and 1.0 inch in Hope (Warren County).

Peak wind gusts (mostly where the blizzard was occurring) included 47 mph in Mullica Township (Atlantic County), 46 mph in Seaside Heights (Ocean County) and 44 mph in Sea Girt (Monmouth County).

The winter storm was caused by a low pressure system that moved west to east across northern Mexico and emerged in the Gulf of Mexico near Brownsville, Texas on the morning of the 4th. The low pressure system moved east and was located near New Orleans, Louisiana at 7 p.m. EST on the 4th and Mobile, Alabama at 7 a.m. EST on the 5th. The low pressure system then started to move northeast and was near Wilmington, North Carolina at 7 p.m. EST on the 5th; Elizabeth City, North Carolina at 1 a.m. EST on the 6th; the Virginia coastal waters at 7 a.m. EST on the 6th and then drifted slowly east off the lower Delmarva Peninsula the rest of the day on the 6th. The storm track was perfect for heavy snow in southern New Jersey, but became less and less favorable (too far southeast) for the northern half of the state.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 212671. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.