A strong southerly flow preceding a cold front produced wind gusts in the 30 to 40 mph range during the afternoon hours on January 12th. in the 40 to 50 mph range, then occurred during the evening and early overnight hours as the cold front, then its associated upper level trough axis, moved through.
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.
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.
The episode as NWS PHI wrote it up.
A strong southerly flow preceding a cold front produced wind gusts in the 30 to 40 mph range during the afternoon hours on January 12th. Higher gusts...in the 40 to 50 mph range, then occurred during the evening and early overnight hours as the cold front, then its associated upper level trough axis, moved through. Snow showers associated with this frontal passage produced the first coating of snow so far this winter season in some areas. However, except for the extreme northwest New Jersey, where 1 to 2 inches was reported, accumulations were under one inch.
Some specific wind gusts include 40 MPH at Atlantic City International Airport, 43 MPH near Jobstown (Burlington), 48 MPH near Maurice River (Cape May), 46 MPH near Turnersville (Gloucester), 42 MPH near Huguenot (Monmouth), and 49 MPH at High Point (Sussex). Some snow reports include 0.1 inches in Mount Laurel (Burlington), 0.6 in Titusville (Mercer), 0.4 in Green Pond (Morris), 1.5 in Highland Lakes (Sussex), and 0.6 in Blairstown (Warren).
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 Jan 12, 4:07 PM EST, 4 hours 53 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
407 PM EST TUE JAN 12 2016
.SYNOPSIS...
LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE THE GREAT LAKES AND INTO
SOUTHEASTERN CANADA LATER TODAY. THE STRONG COLD FRONT ASSOCIATED
WITH THIS LOW WILL CROSS THE REGION THIS EVENING. HIGH PRESSURE
WILL BUILD BACK INTO THE AREA THROUGH FRIDAY. COMPLEX LOW
PRESSURE WILL IMPACT THE NORTHERN MID-ATLANTIC STATES ON SATURDAY
BEFORE MOVING AWAY ON SUNDAY.
&&
.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/...
AT LATE-DAY, A STRENGTHENING AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WAS TRACKING FROM
THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES INTO SOUTHEASTERN CANADA, WITH ITS
ASSOCIATED STRONG COLD FRONT PROGRESSING ACROSS CENTRAL PA. AHEAD OF
AND ACCOMPANYING THIS BOUNDARY ARE SOME SCATTERED SNOW/RAIN SHOWERS.
BASED ON TEMPERATURES ACROSS OUR REGION AND HRRR/RAP TIMING OF THE
PRECIP, MUCH OF THIS ACTIVITY WILL CONTINUE TO OVERSPREAD OUR AREA
THROUGH LATE-DAY/EARLY EVENING, WITH MAINLY SOME LIGHT SNOW
ACCUMULATING UP TO AROUND AN INCH TO AN INCH AND A HALF ACROSS THE
POCONOS AND NORTHWEST NJ. FARTHER SOUTH AND EAST, UP TO A FEW TENTHS
OF AN INCH OF SNOW MAY ACCUMULATE, DOWN TOWARD THE I-95 CORRIDOR AND
VICINITY, DEPENDING ON HOW QUICKLY SOME OF THE COLD/DRY AIR BEHIND
THE FRONT CAN ADVANCE INTO OUR REGION BEFORE PRECIP ENDS.
HIGHEST/LIKELY POPS FOR OUR REGION CONTINUE TO BE ACROSS OUR
NORTHWEST ZONES WHERE THE BEST ORGANIZATION AND ATMOSPHERIC LIFT
WILL BE FOUND, WITH MOSTLY HIGH CHANCE POPS AROUND THE DELAWARE
VALLEY AND LOW CHANCE ACROSS SOUTHERN NJ TO THE SOUTHERN DELMARVA.
A MORE ORGANIZED LINE OF SNOW SHOWERS IS ADVANCING EAST THROUGH
CENTRAL PA, AND THIS MAY LEAD TO SOME BRIEF SNOW SQUALL CONDITIONS
INTO OUR REGION, WITH A POTENTIAL HEAVIER BURST OF SNOW AND REDUCED
VISIBILITIES, CENTERED AROUND THE 0Z TO 01Z TIMEFRAME. THIS IS ALSO
AROUND THE TIME THAT TEMPERATURES WILL BE EDGING DOWN TO THE
FREEZING MARK ACROSS THE DELAWARE VALLEY REGION AND VICINITY. THE
FALLING SNOW WILL LIKELY MELT ON CONTACT WITH PAVED SURFACES, BUT
WITH FALLING TEMPS AND GUSTY WINDS PICKING UP, A QUICK FREEZE COULD
OCCUR ALONG ROADS AND SIDEWALKS. THOSE TRAVELING THIS EVENING ARE
URGED TO USE CAUTION.
AS THE SURFACE COLD FRONT CLEARS THE AREA, GUSTY WESTERLY WINDS WILL
BE PICKING UP IN ITS WAKE. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME SCATTERED
WIND GUSTS ACROSS THE REGION TO REACH BETWEEN 45 TO 50 MPH, AND WITH
THIS IN MIND, WE HAVE ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY THAT RUNS THROUGH THIS
EVENING AND TONIGHT. OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO
RANGE FROM THE TEENS IN THE NORTH TO THE LOWER/MID 20S ELSEWHERE.
&&
.SHORT TERM /6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM WEDNESDAY/...
A COLD WEST-NORTHWESTERLY FLOW WILL PREVAIL ACROSS OUR REGION
WEDNESDAY AS LOW PRESSURE AND A COLD FRONT DEPART TO THE NORTH AND
EAST AND HIGH PRESSURE TO OUR SOUTHWEST BEGINS TO INFLUENCE THE MID
ATLANTIC. MUCH OF OUR AREA WILL HAVE AMPLE SUN THROUGH THE DAY,
EXCEPT FOR THE POCONOS WHERE THE CONTINUED WEST-NORTHWEST FLOW COULD
ALLOW ENOUGH MOISTURE COMING OFF THE GREAT LAKES TO PRODUCE SOME
SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS, ESPECIALLY DURING THE MORNING HOURS. WEST-
NORTHWEST WINDS MAY GUST TO AROUND 30 MPH AT TIMES, AND HIGH
TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE MAINLY IN THE UPPER 20S AND LOWER
30S ACROSS THE REGION.
&&
.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/...
THE EXTENDD PD BEGINS WITH HIGH PRES OVER THE SERN CONUS AND A WK
BNDRY NR THE GRTLKS WITH SOME ASSOCD PRECIP. THIS PRECIP SHUD STAY
N AND W OF THE AREA, KEEPING WED NIGHT THRU ERLY FRI DRY.
LOW PRES WILL DEVELOP ACRS THE PLAINS AND COMBINE WITH ANOTHER LOW
EJECTING OUT OF THE GLFMEX. THIS DOUBLE BARRELED LOW PRESSURE SYS
WILL ADVANCE TWD THE AREA ON FRI AND COULD BEGIN TO IMPACT THE
REGION LATER FRI. THERE REMAIN SOME TIMING DIFFS, WITH THE ECMWF
BEING STRONGER WITH THE GLFMEX LOW AND A BIT FASTER.
HOWEVER, BY FRI NIGHT ALL AREAS ARE GETTING PRECIP. CONDS WILL BE
COLD ENOUGH FRI NIGHT FOR SOME WINTRY PRECIP IN THE EXTREME NRN
AND WRN AREAS. NEVERTHELESS, AS THE LOWS APPROACH, WARM AIR WILL
BE BROUGHT IN AND MOST LOCATIONS WILL EXPERIENCE PLAIN RAIN, SOME
OF WHICH COULD BE HEAVY AT TIMES, ESPECIALLY FRI NIGHT INTO ERLY
SAT.
BY LATER SAT, THE LOW WILL BE MOVG AWAY, PRECIP SHUD END AS THE
LOW MOVES FURTHER AWAY AND THE CFP OCCURS. STRONG HIGH PRES
BEGINS TO BUILD DOWN FROM CANADA WHICH WILL ALSO CREATE A STRONG
PGRAD FOR MORE GUSTY NW WIND. AGAIN, THERE ARE SOME TIMING DIFFS
WITH THE ECMWF ENDING THE PRECIP SOONER THAN THE GFS. THE CMC LIES
SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE.
MON AND TUE LOOK TO BE COLD WITH NW FLOW WITH CAN HIGH OVER THE
MIDSECTION OF THE COUNTRY. WITH NWLY FLOW, THERE IS AT LEAST SOME
POTENTIAL FOR SNOW SHOWERS, MAINLY N AND W, BUT CAN'T BE RULED OUT
ELSEWHERE....BUT THOSE DETAILS CAN'T BE REFINED AT THIS TIME
SCALE.
AS HAS BEEN THE CASE SO FAR THIS JAN, TEMPS ARE ON A ROLLER
COASTER....WE WILL CLIMB TO NR OR JUST ABV 50 DEGREES, WHICH IS
ABOUT 10 DEGREES ABV NRML BY FRI AND SAT, BEFORE TAKING A NOSE
DIVE BEHIND THE CDFNT ASSOCD WITH THE COMPLEX LOW THAT MOVES BY
OVER THE WEEKEND. TEMPS WILL NOT GET ABV 30 DEGREES IN MANY SPOTS
MON AND TUE.
&&
.AVIATION /20Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG,
KMIV, KACY AND SURROUNDING AREAS.
THROUGH TONIGHT...MOSTLY VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE
ACROSS THE AREA, BUT WE HAVE INCLUDE SUB-VFR AND LOWER CONDITIONS
WITH SCATTERED SNOW/RAIN SHOWERS THAT ARE ANTICIPATED ACROSS THE
REGION LATE-DAY AND THIS EVENING. A BRIEF HEAVIER BURST/SNOW SQUALL
MAY OCCUR ROUGHLY IN THE 0Z TO 03Z TIMEFRAME, AND WE HAVE INCLUDED
IFR VSBYS IN A TEMPO GROUP IN THE AFFECTED TAF SITES. SOUTHWEST
WINDS WILL BECOME WEST FOLLOWING A COLD FRONT PASSAGE, WITH GUSTS
INCREASING UP TO AROUND 35 KNOTS PLUS. STRONG WIND GUSTS WILL
CONTINUE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT.
WEDNESDAY...VFR CONDITIONS. WESTERLY WINDS GUSTING TO AROUND 30
KNOTS THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY.
OUTLOOK...
WED NIGHT THRU THU...VFR. GUSTY W WIND 20 TO 25 KT. HIGH
CONFIDENCE.
FRI AND FRI NIGHT...VFR DURG THE DAY. CONDS WILL DETERIORATE TO
MVFR PSBL IFR LATE FRI INTO FRI NIGHT AS LOW PRES APPROACHES FROM
THE S AND W. MDT CONFIDENCE.
SAT...MVFR/IFR PSBL IN MAINLY SHRA, ESPECIALLY ERLY. SOME WINTRY
PRECIP PSBL ERLY N AND W. MDT CONFIDENCE.
SAT NIGHT AND SUN...CONDS IMPROVING TO VFR. HIGH CONFIDENCE.
&&
.MARINE...
A GALE WARNING CONTINUES FOR OUR COASTAL WATERS AND FOR DELAWARE BAY
THIS EVENING AND INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. GUSTS OVER THE WATERS ARE
EXPECTED TO REACH AROUND 40 KNOTS DURING THIS PERIOD. SEAS INTO THE
6 TO 9 FOOT RANGE ARE EXPECTED FOR THE COASTAL WATERS, WITH MOSTLY 2
TO 4 FOOT SEAS IN DELAWARE BAY. INTO WEDNESDAY MIDDAY AND AFTERNOON,
A SCA WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED BEFORE GUSTS AND SEAS FALL BELOW 25KT
AND FIVE FEET.
OUTLOOK...
WED NIGHT...A LINGERING SCA MAY STILL BE NEEDED, ESPECIALLY
EARLY.
THU THRU FRI...NO MARINE HEADLINES ARE ANTICIPATED.
SAT THRU SAT NIGHT...INCREASING WIND AND ESPECIALLY SEAS TO SCA
CRITERIA AS LOW PRES MOVES UP FROM THE S AND W AND SOME
REDEVELOPMENT OCCURS OFFSHORE.
SUN..SEAS AND WIND WILL SUBSIDE AS LOW PRES MOVES AWAY FROM THE
AREA. BEST CHC OF SCA IS ERLY.
&&
.TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...
WILL KEEP AN EYE ON THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME BLOWOUT TIDES WEDNESDAY
MORNING. DBOFS IS INDICATING THE POSSIBILITY WHILE THE ETSS IS NOT.
LOOKS LIKE A QUICK SHOT IF ANYTHING WITH ONE LOW TIDE POSSIBLY BEING
AFFECTED.
&&
.PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PA...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 5 AM EST WEDNESDAY FOR PAZ054-055-060>062-
070-071-101>106.
NJ...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 5 AM EST WEDNESDAY FOR NJZ001-007>010-
012>025-027.
DE...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 5 AM EST WEDNESDAY FOR DEZ001>004.
MD...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 5 AM EST WEDNESDAY FOR MDZ008-012-015-019-
020.
MARINE...GALE WARNING UNTIL 10 AM EST WEDNESDAY FOR ANZ430-431-450>455.
&&
SYNOPSIS...NIERENBERG
NEAR TERM...KLINE
SHORT TERM...KLINE
LONG TERM...NIERENBERG
AVIATION...KLINE/NIERENBERG
MARINE...KLINE/NIERENBERG
TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...<!doctype html>
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</html>PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
741 PM EST TUE JAN 12 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0737 PM SNOW MOUNT POCONO 41.12N 75.36W
01/12/2016 M1.4 INCH MONROE PA TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
CORRECTED SOURCE
EVENT NUMBER PHI1600014
STAFFPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
748 PM EST TUE JAN 12 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0747 PM SNOW WANTAGE 41.24N 74.55W
01/12/2016 M1.0 INCH SUSSEX NJ TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
EVENT NUMBER PHI1600015
STAFFSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 817 PM EST TUE JAN 12 2016 DEZ001>004-MDZ008-012-015-019-020-NJZ001-007>010-012>027-PAZ054- 055-060>062-070-071-101>106-130900- NEW CASTLE-KENT-INLAND SUSSEX-DELAWARE BEACHES-CECIL-KENT MD- 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-DELAWARE-PHILADELPHIA-WESTERN CHESTER-EASTERN CHESTER- WESTERN MONTGOMERY-EASTERN MONTGOMERY-UPPER BUCKS-LOWER BUCKS- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WILMINGTON...DOVER...GEORGETOWN... REHOBOTH BEACH...ELKTON...CHESTERTOWN...CENTREVILLE...EASTON... DENTON...NEWTON...WASHINGTON...MORRISTOWN...FLEMINGTON... SOMERVILLE...NEW BRUNSWICK...FREEHOLD...SANDY HOOK...TRENTON... PENNSVILLE...GLASSBORO...CAMDEN...CHERRY HILL...MOORESTOWN... MOUNT HOLLY...JACKSON...MILLVILLE...HAMMONTON... CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE...OCEAN CITY...ATLANTIC CITY... LONG BEACH ISLAND...WHARTON STATE FOREST...JIM THORPE... STROUDSBURG...READING...ALLENTOWN...BETHLEHEM...MEDIA... PHILADELPHIA...HONEY BROOK...OXFORD...WEST CHESTER... KENNETT SQUARE...COLLEGEVILLE...POTTSTOWN...NORRISTOWN... LANSDALE...CHALFONT...PERKASIE...MORRISVILLE...DOYLESTOWN 817 PM EST TUE JAN 12 2016 ...BLACK ICE POSSIBLE ON UNTREATED ROADS THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING... IN THE WAKE OF A COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH THE REGION TUESDAY EVENING...TEMPERATURES WILL DROP OFF SHARPLY. THIS...COMBINED WITH THE RAIN AND SNOW THAT MOVED THROUGH EARLIER COULD LEAD TO THE DANGEROUS FORMATION OF BLACK ICE ESPECIALLY ON BRIDGES... OVERPASSES...AND UNTREATED ROADS THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING. BLACK ICE IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE AND ROADWAYS MAY APPEAR ONLY WET. PLEASE USE EXTREME CAUTION...ESPECIALLY ON BRIDGES...OVERPASSES AND AROUND CURVES. ALLOW PLENTY OF STOPPING DISTANCE AND AVOID BRAKING SUDDENLY. JOHNSON
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
819 PM EST TUE JAN 12 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0818 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG HATBORO 40.17N 75.11W
01/12/2016 MONTGOMERY PA SOCIAL MEDIA
LARGE TREE BLOWN OVER ON KAREN LANE IN HATBORO
&&
EVENT NUMBER PHI1600016
STAFFPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
820 PM EST TUE JAN 12 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0737 PM SNOW MOUNT POCONO 41.12N 75.36W
01/12/2016 M1.4 INCH MONROE PA TRAINED SPOTTER
0747 PM SNOW WANTAGE 41.24N 74.55W
01/12/2016 M1.0 INCH SUSSEX NJ TRAINED SPOTTER
0818 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG HATBORO 40.17N 75.11W
01/12/2016 MONTGOMERY PA SOCIAL MEDIA
LARGE TREE BLOWN OVER ON KAREN LANE IN HATBORO
&&
EVENT NUMBER PHI1600014 PHI1600015 PHI1600016
STAFF<!doctype html>
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</html>The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Strong winds toppled a tree onto a house in Howell Township, NJ, but no one was home at the time.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Jersey in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in New Jersey, January 2016
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: 607680.