Storm description, surface observations, snowfall totals, and images courtesy of the National Climatic Data Center, the National Centers of Environmental Prediction, the Climate Prediction Center, the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center, the Mount Holly National Weather Service Office, the Upton National Weather Service Office, Rutgers University, Plymouth State University, the University of Illinois, the American Meteorological Society, Weather Graphics Technologies, AccuWeather, and the Weather Channel.

Table of Contents Storm Summary Regional Surface Observations National Weather Service Forecasts Surface Maps Satellite Imagery Sea Level Pressure and 1000 to 500 Millibar Thickness Maps 850 Millibar Maps 700 Millibar Maps 500 Millibar Maps 300 Millibar Maps 200 Millibar Maps National Radar Imagery Local Radar Imagery Fort Dix Doppler Radar Imagery

Contoured Snowfall Totals from March 3, 1997

STORM DESCRIPTION A run of unseasonably warm weather was brought to an abrupt end on the 3rd as a storm from the Lower Mississippi Valley brought snow and sleet to southwestern, central and northern New Jersey. Synoptic Discussion A strong cold front passed through the northeast on the 2nd allowing a much colder airmass to move into the region during the night of the 2nd and morning of the 3rd.  Meanwhile, a low pressure developed along the tail end of the front in eastern Texas on the morning of the 3rd.  It moved into the Tennessee Valley on the morning of the 3rd before jumping the Appalachians and redeveloping near Norfolk, Virginia during the evening of the 3rd.  It then moved out to sea quickly overnight. Local Discussion Precipitation overspread New Jersey during the morning and early afternoon of the 3rd.  In east central and southwestern sections of the state, precipitation type was partially intensity driven:  when it became lighter it mixed with or changed to sleet and rain, while during heavier bursts it went back to all snow.  From Mercer and Middlesex counties northward, it was generally all snow.  Precipitation tapered off to flurries or drizzle during the mid to late evening.  Accumulations were 1 to 2 inches in Gloucester, Camden, Burlington, and Monmouth counties, 2 to 3 inches in Mercer, Middlesex, Union, and Hudson counties, 3 to 4 inches in Hunterdon, Somerset, Morris, Passaic, Essex, and Bergen counties, and 4 to 5 inches in Sussex and Warren counties.

New Jersey Snowfall Totals

Individual Snowfall Totals from March 3, 1997

Table of Contents Storm Summary Regional Surface Observations National Weather Service Forecasts Surface Maps Satellite Imagery Sea Level Pressure and 1000 to 500 Millibar Thickness Maps 850 Millibar Maps 700 Millibar Maps 500 Millibar Maps 300 Millibar Maps 200 Millibar Maps National Radar Imagery Local Radar Imagery Fort Dix Doppler Radar Imagery

Snow and ice storm, January 9, 1997 Snow storm, January 11, 1997 Snow storm, February 8-9, 1997 Snow storm, February 14, 1997 Snow storm, March 3, 1997 Snow and ice storm, March 9-10, 1997 Snow storm, March 31-April 1, 1997 Snow storm, April 18, 1997 Back to Ray's Winter Storm Archive

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