Storm description, surface observations, snowfall totals, and images courtesy of the National Climatic Data Center, the National Centers of Environmental Prediction, the Climate Prediction Center, the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center, the Mount Holly National Weather Service Office, the Upton National Weather Service Office, Rutgers University, Plymouth State University, the University of Illinois, the American Meteorological Society, Weather Graphics Technologies, AccuWeather, and the Weather Channel.
Table of Contents
Storm Summary
Regional Surface Observations
National Weather Service Forecasts
Surface Maps
Satellite Imagery
National Surface Weather Maps - Pressure and Fronts Only
Continental Surface Weather Maps - Pressure and Fronts Only
Sea Level Pressure and 1000 to 500 Millibar Thickness Maps
850 Millibar Maps
700 Millibar Maps
500 Millibar Maps
300 Millibar Maps
200 Millibar Maps
National Radar Imagery
Regional Radar Imagery
Local Radar Imagery
Fort Dix Doppler Radar Imagery
Storm Photos
Contoured Snowfall Totals from March 6, 2003
STORM DESCRIPTION
A low pressure system on a slow moving cold front produced heavy snow in northern New Jersey and a wintry transition from rain to freezing rain to sleet and finally to snow across central and southwestern New Jersey.
Synoptic Discussion
A cold front moved through New Jersey on the night of the 5th before stalling over the Delmarva Peninsula on the morning of the 6th. A weak low pressure system developed on the front and had moved into West Virginia by the morning of the 6th. Meanwhile, a high pressure area had built into the region extending from Mississippi to Ontario, and helped supply cold air to the region for the precipitation transition. As the low pressure system moved southeast of the region during the afternoon and evening of the 6th, it pulled the cold front further south behind it and caused precipitation to end.
Local Discussion
Precipitation overspread the state from southwest to northeast between 2AM and 7AM on the morning of the 6th. In northern Sussex County, precipitation began as snow, while in southern Sussex and northern Passaic counties, it began as a mix of freezing rain and sleet. All areas further south saw precipitation begin as rain. The rain changed to freezing rain and sleet between 5AM and 7AM across the rest of northwestern New Jersey, between 7AM and 9AM across northeastern and west central New Jersey, between 9AM and 11AM across east central and southwestern New Jersey, and between 11AM and 1PM across southeastern New Jersey. Cape May County in far southern New Jersey never saw any changeover before precipitation ended early on the afternoon of the 6th. Elsewhere, precipitation continued to transition to snow, changing over between 7AM and 9AM in the rest of northwestern New Jersey, between 9AM and 11AM over northeastern New Jersey, and between 11AM and 1PM over central and southwestern New Jersey. Precipitation across southeastern New Jersey ended before changing over to all snow. The heaviest snow fell over northern parts of the state between 8AM and Noon on the 6th. Precipitation ended from southwest to northeast across the state between 1PM and 6PM on the 6th. Snow accumulations were 4 to 8 inches in Sussex, Passaic and Bergen counties, 3 to 6 inches in Warren, Morris, Essex, and Hudson counties, 2 to 4 inches in Union County, 1 to 3 inches in Hunterdon, Somerset, and Middlesex counties, and around 1 inch in Mercer and Monmouth counties. Less than 1 inch accumulated further south.
New Jersey Snowfall Totals
Individual Snowfall Totals from March 6, 2003
Regional Snowfall Totals
Snow Totals from 0200Z 07 March 2003 (9PM EST 06 March 2003)
Table of Contents
Storm Summary
Regional Surface Observations
National Weather Service Forecasts
Surface Maps
Satellite Imagery
National Surface Weather Maps - Pressure and Fronts Only
Continental Surface Weather Maps - Pressure and Fronts Only
Sea Level Pressure and 1000 to 500 Millibar Thickness Maps
850 Millibar Maps
700 Millibar Maps
500 Millibar Maps
300 Millibar Maps
200 Millibar Maps
National Radar Imagery
Regional Radar Imagery
Local Radar Imagery
Fort Dix Doppler Radar Imagery
Storm Photos
Snow storm, December 5, 2002
Snow and ice storm, December 24-26, 2002
Snow storm, January 5, 2003
Snow storm, January 16-17, 2003
Snow storm, January 29, 2003
Snow storm, February 6-7, 2003
Snow storm, February 16-17, 2003
Snow storm, February 27-28, 2003
Snow and ice storm, March 6, 2003
Snow and ice storm, April 7, 2003
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