Winter Weather in New Jersey, December 21, 2008

Name: Winter Weather in New Jersey, December 21, 2008
Start: 2008-12-21T00:00
End: 2008-12-21T13:00
Location: New Jersey

December 21, 2008 · NWS PHI · 18 events in 18 counties and zones

A wintry mix of precipitation fell during the first half of the day into the early afternoon on the 21st across most of New Jersey. Along the immediate shore, precipitation fell as plain rain.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 18 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: 17
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 18

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 wintry mix of precipitation fell during the first half of the day into the early afternoon on the 21st across most of New Jersey. Along the immediate shore, precipitation fell as plain rain. Precipitation in the central and southern part of the state inland fell mainly as freezing rain with a little bit of sleet. Ice accretions averaged one tenth to two tenths of an inch. In the Raritan River Basin precipitation started as snow, but changed to sleet and freezing rain quickly. Snow and sleet accumulations averaged around half an inch and ice accretions between one tenth and two tenths of an inch. In Warren and Morris Counties, precipitation started as snow, but changed to sleet and freezing rain before it ended. Snow and sleet accumulations averaged one to three inches. In Sussex County, precipitation fell mainly as snow with accumulations averaging around three inches.

The wintry mix and freezing rain made for slippery travel on untreated roadways. Because the 21st was a Sunday morning, the number of reported accidents was relatively low. One of the worst reported accidents occurred in Burlington County on the New Jersey Turnpike near Bordentown where two buses and two vehicles collided. Seventeen people suffered minor injuries.

Actual snow and sleet accumulations included 2.9 inches in Butler (Morris County), 2.4 inches in Wantage (Sussex County), 2.2 inches in Rockaway (Morris County), 1.3 inches in Blairstown (Warren County) and 1.1 inches in Branchburg (Somerset County).

The wintry mix was caused by a low pressure system that moved from the Mississippi Valley on the morning of the 20th east into southwest Ontario Province on the morning of the 21st. A secondary low pressure system formed on the system's triple point over North Carolina that morning and moved northeast passing Cape Cod as it became the primary low pressure system early in the evening on the 21st. The secondary low pressure system helped maintain surface winds from the northeast and kept temperatures below freezing until the event ended on the morning of the 21st.

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 20, 10:00 PM EST, 2 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 20, 10:00 PM EST, 2 hours before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 20, 2:52 PM EST, 9 hours 8 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
252 PM EST SAT DEC 20 2008

DEZ001-MDZ008-NJZ001-007>010-012-013-015>019-PAZ054-055-060>062-
067>071-212000-
NEW CASTLE-CECIL-SUSSEX-WARREN-MORRIS-HUNTERDON-SOMERSET-MIDDLESEX-
WESTERN MONMOUTH-MERCER-SALEM-GLOUCESTER-CAMDEN-
NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON-CARBON-MONROE-BERKS-LEHIGH-NORTHAMPTON-
CHESTER-MONTGOMERY-BUCKS-DELAWARE-PHILADELPHIA-
252 PM EST SAT DEC 20 2008

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 1 PM EST SUNDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN DELAWARE...NORTHEAST
MARYLAND...CENTRAL NEW JERSEY...NORTHERN NEW JERSEY...NORTHWEST NEW
JERSEY...SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY...EAST CENTRAL
PENNSYLVANIA...NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA AND SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY.

A VERY COLD AIRMASS WILL OVERSPREAD THE REGION SUNDAY AFTERNOON
AND NIGHT AND REMAIN OVER THE REGION INTO MONDAY NIGHT. STRONG
WIND GUSTS TO 35 TO 45 MPH ARE POSSIBLE SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND
NIGHT. WIND CHILLS COULD BELOW ZERO AND AS LOW AS MINUS 10 IN THE
POCONOS AND NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

DEZ002-MDZ012-015-019-020-NJZ014-020>027-212000-
KENT-KENT MD-QUEEN ANNES-TALBOT-CAROLINE-EASTERN MONMOUTH-OCEAN-
CUMBERLAND-ATLANTIC-CAPE MAY-ATLANTIC COASTAL CAPE MAY-
COASTAL ATLANTIC-COASTAL OCEAN-SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON-
252 PM EST SAT DEC 20 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL DELAWARE...NORTHEAST
MARYLAND...CENTRAL NEW JERSEY AND SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

RAIN IS EXPECTED TO START LATE TONIGHT AND CONTINUE INTO SUNDAY
MORNING. HOWEVER, THERE IS THE CHANCE THAT SOME SLEET COULD MIX
WITH THE RAIN BEFORE SUNRISE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

A VERY COLD AIRMASS WILL OVERSPREAD THE REGION SUNDAY AFTERNOON
AND NIGHT AND REMAIN OVER THE REGION INTO MONDAY NIGHT. STRONG
WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH ARE POSSIBLE SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT.
WIND CHILLS COULD DROP TO ZERO.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

DEZ003-004-212000-
INLAND SUSSEX-DELAWARE BEACHES-
252 PM EST SAT DEC 20 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHERN DELAWARE.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

A VERY COLD AIRMASS WILL OVERSPREAD THE REGION SUNDAY AFTERNOON
AND NIGHT AND REMAIN OVER THE REGION INTO MONDAY NIGHT. STRONG
WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH ARE POSSIBLE SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT.
WIND CHILLS COULD DROP TO ZERO.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

ANZ450>455-212000-
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-
252 PM EST SAT DEC 20 2008

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM EST SUNDAY...
...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM SUNDAY TO 1 PM EST MONDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY.
   GALE WARNING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

ANZ430-431-212000-
DELAWARE BAY WATERS NORTH OF EAST POINT NJ TO SLAUGHTER BEACH DE-
DELAWARE BAY WATERS SOUTH OF EAST POINT NJ TO SLAUGHTER BEACH DE-
252 PM EST SAT DEC 20 2008

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM SUNDAY TO 1 PM EST MONDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR DELAWARE BAY WATERS.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   GALE WARNING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

18 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Sussex

When: December 21, 12:00 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
Where: Sussex forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.140, -74.690 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Warren

When: December 21, 1:00 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
Where: Warren forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.857, -74.997 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Morris

When: December 21, 3:00 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
Where: Morris forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.862, -74.544 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Hunterdon

When: December 21, 4:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Hunterdon forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.567, -74.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Somerset

When: December 21, 4:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Somerset forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.564, -74.616 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Middlesex

When: December 21, 4:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Middlesex forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.440, -74.409 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Western Monmouth

When: December 21, 4:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Western Monmouth forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.288, -74.158 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Eastern Monmouth

When: December 21, 4:00 AM EST to 10:00 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)

Winter Weather, Western Ocean

When: December 21, 4:00 AM EST to 11:00 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)

Winter Weather, Southeastern Burlington

When: December 21, 4:00 AM EST to 11:00 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)

Winter Weather, Northwestern Burlington

When: December 21, 4:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Northwestern Burlington forecast zone
Injuries: 0 direct, 17 indirect
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.878, -74.668 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Camden

When: December 21, 4:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Camden forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.804, -74.960 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Gloucester

When: December 21, 4:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM 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 21, 4:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM 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, Cumberland

When: December 21, 4:00 AM EST to 11:00 AM EST
Where: Cumberland forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.328, -75.129 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Western Atlantic

When: December 21, 4:00 AM EST to 9:00 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)

Winter Weather, Western Cape May

When: December 21, 4:00 AM EST to 8:00 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)

Winter Weather, Mercer

When: December 21, 4:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Mercer forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.283, -74.702 (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.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in New Jersey in 2008 Every state in 2008 This day in weather history Warnings in New Jersey, December 2008

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: 143257, 143258, 143259, 143260, 143261, 143262, 143263, 143264, 143265, 143266, 143267, 143268, 143269, 143270, 143271, 143272, 143273, 143274.