WINTER WEATHER - SNOWSTORMS 101

What are patterns of snowfall in New Jersey?

The question every winter is “will we get much snow this year?”. Although no forecasting technique is 100% foolproof, we do know that snowstorms are always a wintertime hazard in New Jersey. Snow may fall in New Jersey between the late Fall through the early Spring, and often comes with the storms known as “nor’easters”. For seasonal outlooks for winter weather, keep an eye on you local NWS WFO websites

How much snow has fallen in my area recently?

The Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist has a website with a variety of climate data and links for climate information. Try http://climate.rutgers.edu/stateclim/stations/index.html, select “snow” for the “data” box, choose your month and year, and click “get the map!” to see recent snowfall maps for New Jersey.

What can I do to prepare for snowstorms?

Preparedness information for snow and other winter hazards may be found on the websites www.nws.noaa.gov/om/winterstorm/winterstorms.pdf and www.redcross.org/services/disaster. The Red Cross site has preparedness materials in a variety of languages - share this information with those you know who feel more comfortable with another language!

Be sure to heed winter storm watch and warning information. Avoid driving in snowstorms - about 70% of injuries in ice and snow occur from vehicle accidents. Avoid overexertion from activities such as shoveling snow, pushing cars and walking in deep snow, as risks include heart attack and hypothermia.

Where can I find more information?

Be sure to find out more from the links listed above and the National Weather Service’s Weather Forecast Offices’ (WFO) homepages:

Mt. Holly, NJ WFO: www.nws.noaa.gov/er/phi
Upton, NY WFO: www.nws.noaa.gov/er/okx