snow

When it comes to shedding the winter coat and thinking of warm weather to come, March is known to have its early spring teases. Then, along comes some late winter cold to remind us winter is not quite ready to disappear. This spring foolery was on exceptional display this month. High temperatures jumped into the 70°s on the 6th and 7th, then back to the cold until the 70° mark was again eclipsed during four of the five days from the 15th–19th. Next came some more seasonable temperatures before a polar blast brought mid-winter frigid conditions from the 28th–30th, only to be followed by another day of 70°s to end the month. Interspersed with these wild fluctuations were episodes of thunderstorms, snow and rain, and 13 days where winds gusted to greater than 40 mph at some locations.

When all was said and done, the statewide average temperature of 43.6° was 2.6° above the 1991–2020 normal. This ranked as the 16th mildest March since 1895, with the end-of-month cold spell keeping the month out of the top 10 for warmth. The average maximum of 54.0° was 3.1° above normal, ranking 17th mildest. The average minimum of 33.3° was 2.1° above normal, also ranking 17th. The north averaged 41.1° (+2.3°, 21st warmest), south 45.3° (+2.9°, 15th), and coast 44.9° (+2.7°, 13th).

Precipitation averaged 2.72” across NJ, which was 1.48” below normal and ranks as the 26th driest March since 1895. The north caught 2.54” (-1.47”, 26th driest), south 2.80” (-1.52”, 30th), and coast 3.06” (-1.36”, 34th). In particular, a zone from Hunterdon to Bergen counties was driest and the coast from Atlantic to Monmouth counties was wettest.

When it comes to cold and snow, the second month of winter wasn’t anything like the first. New Jersey was right in the heart of winter to start off 2022, and nowhere was that more apparent than in southern coastal counties where far more than an average winter’s snow fell. At some locations, the total exceeded that of the most recent three winters combined. The prevailing storm track was such that the northwest corner of the state received the least snow, yet saw seven days with low temperatures dipping below zero. Toss in 15 days where one or more locations around the state recorded wind gusts of 40 mph or greater (five of these with gusts of at least 50 mph) and two atmospheric pressure waves moving across the state as a result of a volcanic eruption in the south Pacific, and it certainly was an eventful month.

Rain and melted snow averaged 3.45” across the state. This is 0.04” below the 1991–2020 normal and ranks as the 54th wettest (75th driest) January since 1895. The northern counties south to and including Hunterdon, Somerset, and Union averaged 2.90”, 0.60” below normal and 75th wettest (53rd driest). Southern counties, except close to the Atlantic Coast, averaged 3.72”, which is 0.25” above normal and ranks 46th wettest. The coastal region caught 4.34”, which is 0.83” above normal and ranks 31st wettest. Persistent dry conditions in recent months resulted in the southernmost NJ counties deemed “Abnormally Dry” for most of the month, according to the National Drought Monitor. As the month ended, northwestern counties were under consideration for being similarly designated.

Fate was clearly tempted when last month’s report was entitled: “Pretty Darn Boring.” Not that this wasn’t a truthful statement from both meteorological and climatological perspectives. So now this month’s title, being just as legitimate as January’s. The turnaround began in the waning hours of January 31st when what proved to be an impactful, long-lasting coastal storm began to invade the Garden State. This major event was followed by a series of storms that resulted in record or near record-setting monthly snowfall totals in northern and central regions and quite wet conditions in the south.

Statewide precipitation (rain and melted snowfall) averaged 4.89” in February. This was 2.03” above the 1991–2020 average and ranks as the 14th wettest February in 127 years of record keeping. The coastal south averaged 5.91” (+2.84”), ranking as 6th wettest. The remainder of the south came in with 5.09” (+2.20”, 11th) and the north 4.44” (+1.65”, 19th). More specifically, the southeast and central areas were wettest and the southwest and far north least wet.

While plenty of precipitation fell throughout the state, it was more often than not in the form of rain across the southern third of NJ, while central and northern areas were visited by one major snowstorm and a series of modest ones. All told, the statewide average snowfall was 23.5”. This is 15.3” above the 1991–2020 average and ranked as the 7th snowiest February.

As we gradually transition into warmer spring temperatures, it’s a good time to recap what was a disappointing season for snow lovers, along with snowplow drivers, auto body repair people, and others who profit from snowy winters.

Seasonal snow totaled 4.7” averaged across the state. This is 19.2” below the 1981–2010 average and, looking back from the 1896/96 to 2018/19 snow seasons, is 21.4” below average. This ranks as the third least-snowy winter snow season, only behind the winters of 1972/73 and 1918/19.

The new decade got off on a rather unwintry note, with January temperatures well above average, snow rarely falling, and just one significant storm that brought only rain. The statewide average temperature of 37.3° was 6.6° above the 1981–2010 mean. This ranks as the 8th mildest January (tied with 1933) since records commenced in 1895. Anomalies and rankings were quite similar across the state. January 2020 was milder than December 2019 by 1.0°. The last time this climatological flip occurred was in December 2005/January 2006. Most notably, January 11th and 12th saw record daily temperatures in the upper 60°s to as high as 70°.

Precipitation fell mostly in the form of rain and mainly on the 25th. The monthly average across NJ was 2.38”. This is 1.02” below the mean and ranks as the 26th driest. The north was 1.27” below average, the south -0.84”, and the coast -1.12”, with all divisional totals between 2.14”–2.55”.