Winter Storm in New Jersey, February 23 to 24, 1998

Another winter storm brought a mixture of snow, sleet and freezing rain to Sussex County. Precipitation type was elevation dependent with the heaviest snow in the hills of the county and the most freezing rain in the valleys. Precipitation started as rain and snow around 6 p.m. EST on the 23rd. Northeast winds circulating around the intensifying northeaster brought colder air into the county from upstate New York. Therefore, precipitation fell as freezing rain throughout most of the night in the county and also in adjacent sections of northern Warren and Morris Counties. As colder air moved in aloft during the day on the 24th, precipitation changed back to snow, especially over the higher terrain. The snow ended the evening of the 24th. Accumulations were elevation dependent and included 6.5 inches in High Point, 5.9 inches in Highland Lake and 2.5 inches in Wantage. Ice accretions were highest in the valleys and averaged around half an inch. Untreated roadways were very treacherous. The northeaster responsible for this winter storm was located near New Orleans the morning of February 22th. It moved northeast and reached Myrtle Beach South Carolina the morning of February 23rd, was about 150 miles east of Atlantic City at daybreak on the 24th and moved to the Gulf of Maine the morning of the 25th.