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 January 9, 1997

STORM DESCRIPTION The first widespread snowfall of the 1996-1997 winter for New Jersey came with a strong, double-barrelled low pressure system in early January. Synoptic Discussion Two low pressure centers were located over the Ohio Valley and Georgia on the morning of the 9th.  They both moved northeasterly to northerly, with the Ohio Valley system reaching Lake Huron and the Georgia system reaching Boston by the morning of the 10th. Local Discussion Snow overspread all areas of New Jersey during the late morning and early afternoon hours of the 9th.  Preciptation changed from snow to sleet and freezing rain during the late afternoon in southern sections, and during the evening rush hour in northern sections.  In southern sections, strong east winds from the relatively warm Atlantic Ocean caused surface temperatures to rise above freezing, which caused the sleet and freezing rain to change to rain in the early evening hours.  This changeover did not take place in more northern sections, where precipitation generally ended as a period of freezing rain.  Preciptation ended in all areas during the late evening hours.  Accumulations were light, averaging around 1 inch in southern sections and between 1 and 2 inches in northern sections.  This was topped in most areas by a layer of freezing rain and sleet.

New Jersey Snowfall Totals

Individual Snowfall Totals from January 9, 1997

Regional Snowfall Totals

Snowfall Totals from 1900Z 10 January 1997 (2PM EST 10 January 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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