Blizzard, Western Passaic
- When
- January 7, 4:00 PM EST to January 8, 3:00 PM EST
- Where
- Western Passaic forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 41.034, -74.300 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard in New Jersey, January 7 to 8, 1996
A storm of historic proportion moved northeast across the region. Extremely heavy snow accompanied this storm.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS OKX wrote it up.
A storm of historic proportion moved northeast across the region. Extremely heavy snow accompanied this storm. Snowfall totals ranged from 20 to 30 inches. For some areas, this was a record snowfall. The heavy snow combined with strong winds to create blizzard conditions for several hours. All forms of transportation were crippled. All area airports were closed, some for a couple of days. Millions of dollars were spent for snow removal. Millions of dollars were lost for area businesses that had to close. Schools were closed throughout the region. Several people were injured during the next several days as numerous roofs collapsed due to the extremely heavy load of snow. A state of emergency was declared for this storm that was dubbed the BLIZZARD OF '96.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
1 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- Blizzard
- Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or more with falling or blowing snow that cuts visibility below a quarter mile for three hours or longer.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Blizzard in Maryland, January 7 to 8, 1996
- Blizzard in Pennsylvania, January 7 to 8, 1996
- Blizzard in New Jersey, January 7 to 8, 1996
- Winter Storm in New Jersey, January 7 to 8, 1996
- Heavy Snow in Massachusetts, January 7 to 8, 1996
- Cold in Georgia, January 7, 1996
- Coastal Flood in New Jersey, January 7 to 8, 1996
- Heavy Snow in Ohio, January 7, 1996
- Coastal Flood in Delaware, January 7 to 8, 1996
- Blizzard in Delaware, January 7 to 8, 1996
- Heavy Snow in New York, January 7 to 8, 1996
- Heavy Snow in Pennsylvania, January 7 to 8, 1996
More
Every storm in New Jersey in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in New Jersey, January 1996
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5561746.