Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in New Jersey, December 5 to 6, 2005

Name: Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in New Jersey, December 5 to 6, 2005
Start: 2005-12-05T17:00
End: 2005-12-06T09:00
Location: New Jersey

December 5 to 6, 2005 · NWS PHI · 16 events in 16 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 16 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 16

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 PHI wrote it up.

A low pressure system that developed along the Gulf Coast States on the 5th moved quickly northeast and dropped heavy snow across the southern half of New Jersey and Monmouth County. Lighter snow fell across Mercer and Middlesex Counties. Little if any snow fell across the rest of the Raritan Basin and nortwhestern New Jersey. The snow began during the late afternoon in southern New Jersey and spread northward into central New Jersey by the early evening. The snow fell lightly through the evening. The heaviest snow fell after Midnight EST on the 6th. The snow ended between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. EST on the 6th. Accumulations averaged three to seven inches with the highest amounts in Monmouth and Ocean Counties. Many schools in the coastal counties were closed. Schools farther inland had two hour delayed openings. Mainly minor accidents (vehicles striking poles) were reported. Burlington County reported about 25 weather related accidents. Specific accumulations included 6.7 inches in Wall Township (Monmouth County), 6.5 inches in Brick and Toms River (Ocean County), 6.3 inches in Brigantine (Atlantic County), 6.0 inches in Sandy Hook and Tinton Falls (Monmouth Counties), 5.5 inches in Margate (Atlantic County), 5.0 inches at the Atlantic City International Airport, North Wildwood (Cape May County), Bayville (Ocean County) and Pennsauken (Camden County), 4.5 inches in Somerdale (Camden County), 4.3 inches in Maple Shade (Burlington County), 4.0 inches in Willingboro (Burlington County), Green Creek (Cape May County) and Vineland (Cumberland County), 3.6 inches in Franklinville (Gloucester County), 3.5 inches in Hamilton Square (Mercer County), Pilesgrove (Salem County) and Mount Holly (Burlington County), 2.8 inches in East Brunswick (Middlesex County), 2.1 inches in Ewing (Mercer County) and 1.8 inches in New Brunswick (Middlesex County). A low pressure system developed over Georgia early on the 5th and moved northeast. The low deepened as it began to move off the coast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina on Monday night the 5th. The low pressure system moved relatively quickly and was east of New England by noon on the 6th. The fast movement and the relative offshore track prevented heavy snow from getting much farther north (other than Monmouth County) than Interstate 195.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 5, 3:45 PM EST, 1 hour 15 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 5, 3:45 PM EST, 1 hour 15 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 5, 5:46 AM EST, 11 hours 14 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
546 AM EST MON DEC 5 2005

ANZ430-431-450>455-DEZ001>004-MDZ008-012-015-019-020-NJZ001-
007>010-012>027-PAZ054-055-060>062-067>071-061100-
DELAWARE BAY WATERS NORTH OF EAST POINT NJ TO SLAUGHTER BEACH DE-
DELAWARE BAY WATERS SOUTH OF EAST POINT NJ TO SLAUGHTER BEACH DE-
COASTAL WATERS FROM SANDY HOOK TO MANASQUAN INLET NJ OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM MANASQUAN INLET TO LITTLE EGG INLET NJ OUT
20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM LITTLE EGG INLET TO GREAT EGG INLET NJ OUT
20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM GREAT EGG INLET TO CAPE MAY NJ OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE MAY NJ TO CAPE HENLOPEN DE OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE HENLOPEN TO FENWICK ISLAND DE OUT 20 NM-
NEW CASTLE-KENT-INLAND SUSSEX-DELAWARE BEACHES-CECIL-QUEEN ANNES-
TALBOT-CAROLINE-SUSSEX-WARREN-MORRIS-HUNTERDON-SOMERSET-MIDDLESEX-
WESTERN MONMOUTH-EASTERN MONMOUTH-MERCER-SALEM-GLOUCESTER-CAMDEN-
NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON-OCEAN-CUMBERLAND-ATLANTIC-CAPE MAY-
ATLANTIC COASTAL CAPE MAY-COASTAL ATLANTIC-COASTAL OCEAN-
SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON-CARBON-MONROE-BERKS-LEHIGH-NORTHAMPTON-
CHESTER-MONTGOMERY-BUCKS-DELAWARE-PHILADELPHIA-
546 AM EST MON DEC 5 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN
PENNSYLVANIA, DELAWARE, THE NORTHERN MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE AND
NEW JERSEY, EXCLUDING THE FIVE NORTHEAST COUNTIES.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT
A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
OVER SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY, CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN DELAWARE AND
ADJACENT PORTIONS OF THE MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE, AND A WINTER
STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM NEAR DUSK THROUGH TONIGHT
ELSEWHERE NORTH TO THE INTERSTATE 95 CORRIDOR. ANYWHERE FROM FOUR
TO EIGHT INCHES OF SNOW IS FORECST OVER THE WARNING AREAS. WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORIES ARE UP FOR THE REST OF THE REGION EXCEPT THE
SOUTHERN POCONOS AND FAR NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY. ANYWHERE FROM TWO
TO SIX INCHES OF SNOW IS FORECAST OVER THE ADVISORY AREAS. LOW
PRESSURE IS FORECAST TO MOVE FROM GEORGIA TO CAPE HATTERAS
TONIGHT, AND THEN LIFT NORTHEAST AND OUT TO SEA.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY
NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.

MPD

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 heavy snow, 4 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Gloucester

When: December 5, 5:00 PM EST to December 6, 6:00 AM EST
Where: Gloucester forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.717, -75.142 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Salem

When: December 5, 5:00 PM EST to December 6, 6:00 AM EST
Where: Salem forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.577, -75.358 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Mercer

When: December 5, 7:00 PM EST to December 6, 7:00 AM EST
Where: Mercer forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 40.283, -74.702 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Middlesex

When: December 5, 7:00 PM EST to December 6, 7:00 AM EST
Where: Middlesex forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 40.440, -74.409 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Camden

When: December 6, 6:00 AM EST to 7:00 AM EST
Where: Camden forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.804, -74.960 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Cumberland

When: December 6, 6:00 AM EST to 7:00 AM EST
Where: Cumberland forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.328, -75.129 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Eastern Cape May

When: December 6, 6:00 AM EST to 7:00 AM EST
Where: Eastern Cape May forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.085, -74.850 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Northwestern Burlington

When: December 6, 6:00 AM EST to 7:00 AM EST
Where: Northwestern Burlington forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.878, -74.668 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Western Cape May

When: December 6, 6:00 AM EST to 7:00 AM EST
Where: Western Cape May forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.085, -74.850 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Eastern Atlantic

When: December 6, 7:00 AM EST to 8:00 AM EST
Where: Eastern Atlantic forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.469, -74.634 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Eastern Monmouth

When: December 6, 7:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Eastern Monmouth forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 40.288, -74.158 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Eastern Ocean

When: December 6, 7:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Eastern Ocean forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.866, -74.250 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Southeastern Burlington

When: December 6, 7:00 AM EST to 8:00 AM EST
Where: Southeastern Burlington forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.878, -74.668 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Western Atlantic

When: December 6, 7:00 AM EST to 8:00 AM EST
Where: Western Atlantic forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.469, -74.634 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Western Monmouth

When: December 6, 7:00 AM EST to 8:00 AM EST
Where: Western Monmouth forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 40.288, -74.158 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Western Ocean

When: December 6, 7:00 AM EST to 8:00 AM EST
Where: Western Ocean forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.866, -74.250 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Weather: Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in New Jersey in 2005 Every state in 2005 This day in weather history Warnings in New Jersey, December 2005

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5483075, 5483077, 5483067, 5483068, 5483069, 5483070, 5483072, 5483076, 5483080, 5483071, 5483073, 5483074, 5483078, 5483079, 5483164, 5483165.