Heavy Snow in New Jersey, January 8 to 9, 2001

Light snow spread across far northwest New Jersey during the afternoon and through the evening of the 8th. Precipitation started as light rain in some of the valley locations, but changed to snow by mid afternoon on the 8th. The precipitation intensity was mainly light and coupled with relatively warm temperatures, some of the snow melted as it fell in the valleys and throughout most of northwest New Jersey. Accumulations were generally under an inch, except in Sussex County where they reached close to two inches. Specific accumulations included 1.8 inches in Sussex (Sussex County), 1.5 inches in Wantage (Sussex County) and 1 inch in Long Valley (Morris County). A weak low pressure system moved from South Carolina the morning of the 8th rapidly northeast and was located well east of Cape Cod by the morning of the 9th. The rapid movement and weak intensification of this low kept precipitation on the light side. Nevertheless, untreated roadways became slippery, especially during the night as temperatures dropped to around 20 degrees by the morning of the 9th.