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 National Surface Weather Maps - Pressure and Fronts Only Continental Surface Weather Maps - Pressure and Fronts Only 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 Regional Radar Imagery Fort Dix Doppler Radar Imagery

Contoured Snowfall Totals from March 1-2, 2009

STORM DESCRIPTION A nor'easter brought a major snowfall to much of New Jersey. Synoptic Discussion A cold front moved through New Jersey during the evening of the 27th and early morning of the 28th. The front then stalled over the Southeast during the day on the 28th as a low pressure developed over the lower Mississippi Valley. The low moved eastward into Georgia by midnight on the 1st, then turned northeast and crossed the Carolinas during the day on the 1st. By the morning of the 2nd, the low was due east of New Jersey, and by midnight on the 3rd it reached the Canadian Maritimes. Local Discussion Snow associated with the surface low pressure overspread New Jersey from southeast to northwest during the evening of the 1st. Two distinct bands of heavier snow developed during the overnight hours. The first was focused over southeastern and east-central New Jersey, while the second affected parts of northwestern New Jersey. In both bands, snowfall accumulation rates reached 1 to 2 inches per hour. In between the two heavier bands, snow fell at lighter rates across much of west-central and northeastern New Jersey. Snowfall rates were briefly intensified across southeastern New Jersey as a gravity wave moved through from southwest to northeast between 1 AM EST and 4 AM EST on the 2nd. The gravity wave also produced wind gusts of more than 50 mph. The first wave of snow moved out of the state from southwest to northeast between 2 AM and 6 AM EST on the 2nd, resulting in a lull. A second, less intense band of snow associated with the upper-level low moved into the state after dawn on the 2nd. Snow then gradually tapered off to snow showers and flurries during the midday and afternoon hours of the 2nd. Snowfall accumulations ranged from 6 to 15 inches in Monmouth County, 8 to 13 inches in Ocean County, 3 to 13 inches in Passaic County, 6 to 12 inches in Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties, 4 to 11 inches in Hunterdon, Warren, Sussex and Morris counties, 3 to 10 inches in Burlington and Camden counties, and 4 to 7 inches in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex, Somerset and Union counties

New Jersey Snowfall Totals

Individual Snowfall Totals from March 1-2, 2009

Table of Contents Storm Summary Regional Surface Observations National Weather Service Forecasts Surface Maps Satellite Imagery National Surface Weather Maps - Pressure and Fronts Only Continental Surface Weather Maps - Pressure and Fronts Only 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 Regional Radar Imagery Fort Dix Doppler Radar Imagery

Snow and ice storm, December 16-17, 2008 Snow storm, January 19, 2009 Snow and ice storm, January 27-28, 2009 Snow storm, February 2-4, 2009 Snow storm, March 1-2, 2009 Back to Ray's Winter Storm Archive

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