Note: The time of the partial eclipse in the video is supposed to be 10:33 p.m., not 9:33 p.m. Our apologies.
New Jerseyans who stay up late Thursday night could see the Moon turn a dramatic reddish-orange — if the clouds cooperate.
A deep partial lunar eclipse will take place Thursday night into early Friday morning, with 96.2% of the Moon’s visible surface covered by the darkest part of Earth’s shadow at its peak. That puts this eclipse exceptionally close to becoming a total lunar eclipse.
The eclipse begins subtly at 9:23 p.m. Thursday, when the Moon enters Earth’s penumbra, or faint outer shadow. At first, the difference may be difficult to notice.
The show becomes much more obvious beginning around 10:33 p.m., when the Moon starts moving into Earth’s umbra, its darker central shadow. From there, an increasingly large portion of the Moon will darken and take on shades of red, orange or copper.
Maximum eclipse arrives at approximately 12:12 a.m. Friday, when roughly 96% of the lunar disk will be immersed in the umbra. Only a thin portion of the Moon will remain brightly illuminated.
The reddish color happens because sunlight passing through Earth’s atmosphere is filtered before reaching the Moon. Blue and violet wavelengths scatter more readily, while more red and orange light makes it through the atmosphere and reaches the lunar surface.
The Moon will then gradually move out of the shadow. The partial eclipse ends around 1:51 a.m., while the final, much more subtle penumbral phase continues until about 3:01 a.m.
Will NJ actually see the lunar eclipse?
That’s the bigger question.
Unfortunately, the weather may not cooperate. A warm front moving through the region Thursday is bringing widespread showers and thunderstorms, along with plenty of cloud cover. The National Weather Service in Mount Holly says the warm front will be followed closely by a cold front Friday, keeping the region unsettled.
That means many parts of New Jersey could have clouds blocking the Moon during at least portions of the eclipse. However, any breaks in the clouds around midnight could provide a window to see the eclipse near its peak.
Unlike a solar eclipse, no special eclipse glasses are needed to safely look at a lunar eclipse.
And if the clouds win Thursday night, New Jersey will get another shot at an even bigger event in a few years: the next total lunar eclipse visible from the Garden State is June 26, 2029.
August 21, 2025 brought the single-worst summertime tide on record for most of Atlantic and Cape May counties.
Beaches closed. Water rescues on the White and Black Horse Pikes. Feet of water on the roads.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/4139828906290428
That sparked me to create our ShorelySafe Flood Mapper.
For so long, the coast NEVER had a way to show where weather-driven tidal flooding would be. The flood mappers out there were either for landfalling hurricanes or trends decades away. Preparing for tidal flooding coming tomorrow has traditionally relied on local knowledge and *county*-specific forecasts.
I knew we could do better when Hurricane Erin passed 400 miles offshore. What about town level? Block level? House level? If you knew when and how high the salt water would be:
– There would be fewer water rescues.
– Cars and property would be protected better.
– Emergency Management would save time, and money.
So, we got to it. PJ Hondros joined ShorelySafe to help build it. He’s a young legend in the coastal processes space. After 3 months, we had a prototype and we’re fully functional now.
Here’s what ShorelySafe would have shown during Hurricane Erin last August in our ShorelySafe communities — street by street.
A series of hard freezes hit farms and bogs hard in New Jersey and beyond during late April, causing an estimated $300 million in crop losses, with crop damage exceeding 30% in many parts of the state.
On May 20, Gov. Mikie Sherrill declared a state of emergency for all 21 counties in the state. She also sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to unlock federal funding relief for New Jersey farms.
“This freeze was unlike anything our growers have experienced in decades, and the damage is staggering,” said Sen. Cory Booker. “An entire season of peaches, apples and grapes were almost entirely decimated in a matter of hours. Many other fruits are also suffering significant losses. New Jersey farmers urgently need federal support to recover from this disaster.”
Maybe you know of a farmer who had losses. After all, there were over 600 farms between Cape May and Atlantic counties in 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That’s over 38,000 acres responsible for $167 million in products sold. Tourism, agriculture and fishing are the top three economic engines at the South Jersey shore. All are dependent on weather.
Freezes in late April are common for inland New Jersey. The average last freeze of spring at Hammonton is April 18, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Atlantic City International Airport’s is April 19. In the deeper Pinelands, the last freeze on average is near the end of the month.
But what happened on April 21 was not normal for two reasons and may be more of a sign of things to come. First is just the sheer cold of that morning. Not only were inland low temperatures for the coastal counties below freezing, but they were at or below 28 degrees in spots. That’s considered a hard freeze which destroys most seasonal vegetation, especially the young, tender crops that were just starting to grow.
“Suffice it to say that this is one of the most widespread disasters on record to strike almost every fruit-growing tree, bush, or vine in the state. The horticultural industry also appears to have taken a notable hit,” said Dave Robinson, the New Jersey state climatologist, in his monthly report for April.
It wasn’t just the cold temperatures that made the agricultural loss devastating, prompting the state of emergency. It was the weather that led up to it.
It was warm. Really, it was hot. Temperatures sizzled between 85 and 95 degrees between April 14 and April 17, according to NOAA. Overnight lows stayed in the 50s and 60s.
That kind of warmth drove crops and plants to open and grow faster than usual for that time of the year.
When the freeze came on April 21, the plants were left exposed and many were killed. This will surely be a top 10 weather event for the year.
The executive order issued by Gov. Sherrill provides for increased coordination between state agencies to help farmers with what they may need. State Police Superintendent Jeanne Hengemuhle will lead the effort.
Federal crop insurance which, like the National Flood Insurance Program many of us are aware of at the shore, is backed by the Federal Government to protect against losses that many private insurers won’t take on. The problem is it has a cap of $325,000. For large farms, that’s just a percentage of what they could have lost.
While frosts and freezes during the growing season are fairly common, most are minor issues for farmers. The last significant one was in 2012. That year, a hard freeze hit on April 28, about a dozen days after a stretch of warm weather with lows in the 50s and highs in the 80s.
This year’s killing freeze arrived much sooner after the warm weather ended than it did in 2012 – and it was also a bit colder.
In our climate-changing world, sharp, hard freezes after days of plant-growing heat are expected.
The date of the last freeze of the year hasn’t changed much over the decades. In fact, at Atlantic City International Airport, the average last freeze is three days later now (April 18) than the average was in the 1970s (April 15-16). In Hammonton, it’s been roughly the same – around April 15.
However, hot days are occurring earlier. Three days or longer of high temperatures of at least 80 degrees in April has about a 20% chance of occurrence in the 2020s. In the 1970s, it was about 5%. The result is more growth in our fruits, vegetables and crops before a killing freeze.
The last freeze is barely changing because the ingredients for a cold spring night aren’t as influenced by a changing climate. It requires a clear sky, light wind and low dew points.
Meanwhile, warmer spring days are driven by the greenhouse effect. The more greenhouse gases in the air, the more solar radiation from the sun is trapped near the surface, where we live.
Finally, not to rub salt in the wound with this article, but I gave Memorial Day Weekend a “D” in the Shore Summer Weekend Weather Report Card. The first weekend of our eighth edition earned the barely passing grade, mainly because of Monday. Temperatures finally got out of the 50s at the beach and it wasn’t an all-day washout. Better luck this weekend.
We live by the sea breeze and die by the sea breeze.
Figurately, of course, but only kind of. How often has it been 95 degrees in Hammonton or Trenton, only to fall to 78 degrees in Ocean City or Atlantic City? That kind of change would make you feel alive if you made that trek to the beach.
Alternatively, take May 4, 2026. It was 72 in Hammonton and Trenton. Atlantic City was 58 degrees. I have a feeling that took the life out of some outdoor plans.
Even if you’re at the beach all day, how many times has it felt hot in the late morning? Then, you cool off with a refreshing breeze for the afternoon.
Sea-breezes are a near daily occurrence of our lives for the Jersey Shore from roughly March to August. May is typically home to the strongest sea breezes and strongest differences between inland and coastal areas.
The sea breeze makes the Jersey Shore the $20 billion economic engine it is according to the New Jersey Department of Tourism (2023). Doctors would prescribe patients time at the water’s edge to take in the cleaner air coming in from the ocean. Before air conditioning, the Camden and Atlantic Railroad, the West Jersey Railroad, Tuckerton Railroad and more opened the dream of refreshing summer air to the masses. Even today, the thought of a beach chair on the sand with the warm sun and cool breeze in your face is a pleasant sight.
Why do sea breezes happen?
In short, the sea-breeze is Planet Earth’s way to bring equilibrium to the atmosphere. The Earth is always trying to stay balanced against the constant change in the Earth’s tilt, orbit around the sun and more.
In more detail, the sea breeze is caused by the sun warming up the land much faster than the body of water. It takes roughly 4.2 times more energy to heat up water a degree versus heating up land. Mainly, it’s because water, a liquid, can mix around, shifting its temperature around, faster than a patch of beach or forest can. The scientific phrase for this is heat capacity.
Warmer air also brings lower air pressure. Cooler air brings higher air pressure. Winds always move from high pressure to low pressure. Due to physics, cooler air up to about 3,000 feet high will actually move onto land. That warmer air rises into the atmosphere. The line between the land breeze and sea breeze can create clouds. If there’s a lot of upward motion, it’ll even create rain showers.
The red line in the spine of New Jersey are birds, insects and bugs being pushes east to west by the sea-breeze front (via the Office of the NJ State Climatologist)
Sea breezes are localized features we call mesoscale features. It’s different than the widescale, synoptic winds that blow. If winds are blowing out of the northeast, off the water, due to a nor’easter, that is not a sea breeze. That’s just the way the wind’s blowing.
Sea breezes typically blow at 10 to 20 mph.
Mini cold fronts
The cooling sea breezes we see in New Jersey are actually mini cold fronts moving in from the east. Typically, most cold fronts we think of in New Jersey come from the west or north. The drier, typically cooler air that follows the cold front are west or north winds. That is blowing in air from the larger area of high pressure in, say, Canada, replacing the lower pressure air.
In New Jersey, the sea breeze cold fronts are stronger than other areas of the United States. That’s because of the Pine Barrens. The sandy soil of the Pinelands means the land heats up faster than other landmasses. It’s common for Egg Harbor City or Batsto to be the hottest place in the state. That creates a bigger air pressure gradient, which creates a stronger sea breeze.
A typical sea breeze look at temperatures (left) and radar. Note that Cape May County’s beaches are also in the 70s but there are no weather stations on the beach at this time.
How to spot a sea breeze in NJ
Keep in mind that northeast, east or southeast winds that blow for days at a time are not the sea breezes we’re talking about here.
To have a real sea breeze, winds need to start out from an offshore direction and then shift onshore as the day goes on.
First, you’ll need the sun to heat the ground for a few hours. A cloudy sky can bring a sea breeze during the late spring and summer, too, thanks to how strong the sun is.
The strength of the wind matters, too.
If winds are constantly blowing under about 15 mph, there’s a good chance the sea breeze will form during the late morning or midday if the large-scale winds are from offshore at first.
As an example, if 10 mph from the southwest start off the morning, you’ll get a sea breeze to develop by noon.
If winds are over about 15 mph, whether you see a sea breeze depends on the direction that large-scale wind is blowing.
Winds from the west or northwest will be too strong for the sea breeze to develop. They directly push back against it. These are the days that are the hottest on sand and inland. In fact, seven of the top 10 hottest days at Sen. Frank S. Farley State Marina in Atlantic City had a wind out of the westerly or northwesterly direction, according to Open-Meteo and ERA5 data.
Claude.ai helped with this analysis of Atlantic City’s hottest days on record, and their wind direction.
Sadly, it’s also the days when the bugs swarm the shore all day long.
However, winds from the southwest or north at those higher speeds don’t directly push against the developing sea breeze. Typically, they’ll still form.
The Delaware Bayshore also gets cooling sea breezes, but they’re not as noticeable since the bay temperature is more in line with the land temperatures nearby. There isn’t as much as an air pressure gradient that creates that cooling wind.
Still, for Cumberland and Salem counties, any wind that isn’t pushing directly against the coastline or with it can cause a sea breeze.
For Cape May County’s Bayshore, a south or north wind can still develop those localized sea breezes.
When I talk about this in my weather videos, or post about it on social media, some variation of the same question comes up.
“How could the Jersey Shore be in drought? We had so much snow last winter.”
While yes, we did have well-above-average snowfall (26.1 inches at Atlantic City International Airport, 18.6 inches in Margate, and 39.2 inches in Long Branch), but lots of snow doesn’t necessarily cure a drought. The correlation is pretty weak.
Drought is defined as “a period of abnormally dry weather sufficiently long enough to cause a serious hydrological imbalance,” according to the American Meteorological Society. In other words, if the water going into the environment is less than the water being taken out of the environment (by humans, animals, evaporation, etc.) for a long period of time, you go into drought.
Water comes into the environment by precipitation. Snow is precipitation, so is rain. However, on average in New Jersey, it takes 11 inches of snow to get 1 inch of precipitation. Meanwhile, 1 inch of rain equals 1 inch of precipitation.
Snow to liquid ratio climatology. On average for New Jersey, it takes 10 to 11 inches of snow to produce one inch of precipitation. (via the National Weather Service)
Here’s a look at how much snow, precipitation and average precipitation fell at Atlantic City International Airport from December to February:
In December, there were 2.2 inches of snow, 3.03 inches of precipitation, vs. 3.76 inches of average precipitation.
January saw 6.7 inches of snow, 3.78 inches of precipitation, vs. 3.44 inches of average precipitation.
February recorded 17.2 inches of snow, 3.53 inches of precipitation, vs. 3.12 inches of average precipitation.
Snowfall was about 75% above average during this time. Precipitation was about 5% below average.
What about the snowpack?
This winter probably felt extra long because the snow was on the ground for so long. Twenty-nine days had at least 1 inch of snow covering the ground at Atlantic City International Airport, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the sixth longest since records began in 1945.
default
Snow on the ground helps prevent drought from worsening. It allows for snow to slowly melt and seep into the ground. It also prevents the sun from pulling water from the ground and evaporating into the atmosphere.
However, the snowpack wasn’t deep enough nor did it hang around long enough to have a significant impact on the drought.
All things considered, it was a lack of precipitation in March that slid the Jersey Shore into a deeper drought.
Drought outlook for NJ
NOAA is forecasting that drought conditions will persist through the end of July, according to its April 30 update.
Precipitation across the Jersey Shore, not just in a town or two, needs to average at least 5 inches during this time in order to drown out the drought. More than 4 inches of evaporation occurs during June and July.
We’ll need a few coastal storms, or a very gloomy next month or two, in order to do that. If not, don’t be surprised to see mandatory water restrictions by the end of the summer.
Goodbye La Niña and hello El Niño – possibly a “super” El Niño.
Expected between July and September, this shift in the Earth’s long-term weather patterns will define how we experience the upcoming hurricane season, as well as the snow and cold of next winter.
Forecasters from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration give El Niño a greater-than-60% chance of developing during the summer. By the fall, during the peak of hurricane season, it’s an 80% chance.
By July, the chances of an El Nino developing are over 50% (via NOAA)
El Niño or La Niña is part of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). This refers to the water temperatures off the Equatorial Pacific Ocean, from roughly Peru westward 7,000 miles. When water temperatures are warmer than average, it’s El Niño. When it’s cooler than average, it’s La Niña.
Via NOAA
Meteorologists break this down into four different zones within the ENSO region. I won’t explain it much here, but where those warmer temperatures are this summer and beyond will make a slight difference in what our long-term forecast will be.
Since the summer of 2024, we have been in La Niña. That typically means milder winters. However, both the 2024-2025 winter, and this past winter, were colder than average.
The frozen tundra of snow and ice we experienced for weeks this past winter bucked the La Niña trend, too. For hurricane season, 2024 was more active than usual, while 2025 was about average. That checks out with a La Niña pattern.
Let’s look at what El Niño will mean for both the 2026 hurricane season, and the 2026-2027 winter, plus what a “super” El Niño could mean for New Jersey.
Quieter hurricane season likely
When El Niño is present, hurricane activity in the Atlantic Hurricane Basin goes down; it’s that simple. The Atlantic Hurricane Basin averages 14 named storms – seven hurricanes including three major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5) per season, per Colorado State University. Since 1990, there have been 11 hurricane seasons with El Niño. Seven were less active, while two were about average and two were more active.
More than likely, this hurricane season will be as active or less active than average. With a 24% chance of the eye of a tropical storm or hurricane being within 50 miles of the Jersey Shore, that number should be lower as well. Hurricane season officially runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.
During El Niño, there is stronger windshear in the tropical Atlantic Ocean. Windshear is a change of wind direction or speed as you go up from the surface. This, in short, rips apart developing cyclones.
Winter temperatures
The stronger the El Niño, the warmer the temperatures. By itself, El Niño doesn’t mean much for our temperatures during the winter. Since ENSO records began in the 1950s, winters with El Niño end up about average at Atlantic City International Airport and the Sen. Frank S. Farley State Marina in Atlantic City.
However, when you look at the intensity of the El Niño, the pattern becomes clear.
Very Strong: 4.0 degrees warmer than average
Strong: 0.5 degrees warmer than average
Moderate: 0.7 degrees colder than average
Weak: 0.5 degrees colder than average.
Mean temperature between December and February for Atlantic City International Airport and Sen. Frank S. Farley State Marina in Atlantic City, based on the intensity of the El Nino (graphic is from Claude Artificial Intelligence, via NOAA data).
The stronger the El Niño, the warmer the temperatures. That’s because the Pacific jet stream – the river of air about 30,000 feet high that separates two airmasses – pushes into the Northeast. That means more opportunities for us to be south of the jet stream, taking in milder air.
Winter snow: One clear signal
Like winter temperatures, using El Niño alone doesn’t produce a big trend in what snow could look like for a winter. Generally, it’s a little less snowy than average. However, when you look at the type of El Niño, there is a trend that screams off the chart.
When El Niño is in a moderate phase, it’s 13 inches snowier than average. For the South Jersey shore, that’s 25 to 30 inches of snow. Farther up the coast, that’s roughly 30 to 35 inches of snow.
Here’s the snow breakdown for Atlantic City International Airport and Long Branch, by El Niño phase.
Weak: 3.5 inches below average
Moderate: 13.2 inches above average
Strong: 3.4 inches below average
Very strong: 0.2 inches above average
Winter snowfall totals for the Jersey Shore, based on the intensity of the El Nino (graphic is from Claude Artificial Intelligence, via NOAA data)
The last two moderate El Niño winters were 2009-’10 and 2002-’03. Both brought plenty of snow, and winter storms. That included:
On Feb. 5-7, 2010, over 20 inches of snow fell roughly south of the Atlantic City Expressway. Meanwhile, New York City experienced less than 4 inches of snow.
A few days later, the Feb. 9-11 winter storm brought over half a foot of snow to the shore.
The Feb, 16-18, 2003, winter storm, known as the President’s Day II or PDII storm, dropped over 18 inches of snow on much of the Jersey Shore and ranks as the sixth strongest winter storm on NOAA’s Northeast Snowfall Impact Scale.
Moderate El Niños sit in a weather sweet spot for winter storms in New Jersey. They enhance the jet stream’s pattern in a way that funnels nor’easters up the coast without warming the region enough to flip precipitation to rain.
What if a ‘super’ El Niño arrives?
There is no guarantee that a very strong El Niño, or what people call a “super” El Niño, will come this winter. However, given the confidence of El Niño developing late this year, it’s worth exploring. Severe-Weather.Eu has a nice writeup on it.
If one does form, expect a mild winter with a low number of nor’easters. However, when nor’easters do hit, expect plenty of rain, wind or even snow.
Just as a generational run of snowcover was starting to go away, a fresh nor’easter piled near historic snow amounts onto our lawns, beaches, cars and streets Feb. 22-23.
While nor’easters at the Jersey Shore are feared most for their tidal flooding, it was the snow that was most impactful this time.
Nearly everywhere at the Jersey Shore had double-digit snow reports. Atlantic City International Airport picked up 16.9 inches of snow over the two-day stretch, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It was the biggest snowstorm this late in the winter season since records began in 1943, and the sixth largest two-day snowfall. Other Jersey Shore totals, measured in inches, included:
Cape May County
Ocean City: 16.0
Lower Twp.: 12.5
North Wildwood: 8.7
Atlantic County
Mays Landing: 19.0
Somers Point: 18.2
Egg Harbor Twp.: 18.0
Minotola: 17.0
Buena Vista Twp.: 16.5
Egg Harbor City: 15.3
Hammonton: 10.7
Ocean County
Jackson: 25.2
Lakewood: 24.0
Toms River: 22.0
Lakehurst: 21.8
Manahawkin: 19.0
Brick: 18.5
Ship Bottom: 18.0
Lanoka Harbor: 17.0
Tuckerton: 17.0
Monmouth County
Marlboro: 26.5
Middletown: 25.0
Freehold Twp.: 25.0
Snow receipts timeeeeeeeee. ❄️🧾❄️🧾
How'd we do at Cup A Joe Weather?
Feeling uncertain? NJ based See You Through It Counseling offers therapy for all ages. Call 856-335-1352. pic.twitter.com/Qy04a5Li7l
Here are seven reasons why this nor’easter will be talked about for years.
It was a bomb cyclone
It wasn’t just a nor’easter; it was a bomb cyclone, as the National Weather Service confirmed after it rapidly intensified through a process known as bombogenesis.
While sources vary, this storm saw a roughly 40 millibar drop in air pressure between Sunday morning and Monday morning. You need at least a 24-millibar drop in air pressure within 24 hours to be a “bomb.” This is the hallmark of a strong nor’easter.
It achieved that and then some.
It ‘generated’ its own cold air
It was mild in the days leading up to the nor’easter. High temperatures on Feb. 20-21 – Friday into Saturday – were in the upper 40s to low 50s. Even Sunday morning, temperatures were 35 to 40 degrees, and it was raining.
Then, as the storm underwent bombogenesis, there was a large amount of upward motion and air expansion. As the air expands, fewer molecules bump into each other, and you get cooling. In other words, it cooled down and rain turned to snow.
Temperatures hung on above freezing, with snow late Sunday afternoon not sticking much to roads and sidewalks. That happened later than I expected.
But once the sun set, temperatures sank below 32 and snow accumulated rapidly.
Light rain fell along the South Jersey Shore on Sunday night and Monday, but that was not often and the northern part of the shore stayed locked in as snow.
A multi-state ‘mega band’ of snow
The 15-inch or greater totals in most of Atlantic County and points north at the coastal counties were helped by heavy snow that fell for hours Monday morning.
The nor’easter generated two large bands of snow. We had the western one, which extended from western Massachusetts to the Hudson Valley and down the Garden State Parkway to Atlantic County.
If you were in it, you had snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour. It was roughly from around 2 a.m. to 10 a.m. So, if you do the math, that adds up.
While the storm underperformed my forecast Sunday afternoon, it made up for it Monday morning.
For what it’s worth, the eastern band was responsible for bringing Rhode Island’s largest snowstorm on record – 37.9 inches of snow fell in Providence, according to WPRI-TV and other outlets.
The snow was very wet
Heavy, wet snow piled up feet high in Avalon (courtesy of Avalon Public Works, a ShorelySafe client of our company)
The amount of precipitation that fell during this event ranged from 1.7 to 2.3 inches. We had a lot of snow, but a lot of liquid as well.
In New Jersey on average, 11 inches of snow falls for every inch of liquid. This was lower.
Woodbine likely had 18 inches of snow on 1.97 inches of liquid, according to the Community Collaborative Rain Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS). That’s a snowfall ratio of roughly 9:1.
At Atlantic City International Airport, 16.9 inches of snow occurred with 1.97 inches of liquid. That’s a snow ratio of 8.6:1.
You noticed it. The snow was very hard to shovel or snowblow, and not just because of the amount. The snow stuck to my narrow windshield wipers. If the snow was fluffy, that wouldn’t happen.
Drought concerns eased
The 1.7 to 2.3 inches of liquid brought February’s precipitation back to average. That was much needed and reduced the risk of worsening drought going into wildfire season.
The United States Drought Monitor Feb. 26 update, which includes data through Feb. 24, showed an improvement in drought in parts of Cape May, Atlantic and Monmouth counties. It fact, drought was removed in Upper Cape May County and southern Atlantic County.
Probably the windiest snowstorm in decades
Atlantic City International Airport reported a 61 mph wind gusts at 3:13 a.m. Monday, Feb. 23. The National Weather Service said no major snowstorm or blizzard since 1978 had a gust as high as this one.
Record amount of Sunday winter snow
It may have taken divine intervention, but with 6.9 inches of snow at ACY Airport on Feb. 22, this winter is now tied with 2005-2006 for the winter with most Sunday snow on record.
Data via NOAA
With a brutally cold shot of air expected to begin in March, it’s still possible that 2025-2026 could claim the top spot for itself. Who said Sunday was a day of rest?
Thank You
I know you have other options for weather and appreciate that you stick here with Cup A Joe Weather. From Feb. 17-24, we had 2.005 million social impressions, 450,000 video views and a website audience of over 10,000 people.
A big thank you to our advertisers for making this possible. Without them, we can’t cover the shore like no where else.
With temperatures much colder than average around here, the depths of winter have been feeling more like New England than the Jersey Shore.
From Jan. 18 to 31, temperatures at Atlantic City International Airport were what the same typical two-week period would be in Portland, Maine, according to the Southeast Regional Climate Center. From Jan. 25 to 31, the mean temperature at Atlantic City International Airport was just 18.6 degrees. You’d have to travel far north to find similar readings. Anchorage, Alaska, is the closest match. The same is true at the Sen. Frank S. Farley State Marina.
Days of sub-freezing temperatures and nights with sub-zero windchills are certainly bitterly cold. However, you don’t have to look that far back to find Januarys just like it.
Believe it or not, January 2026 was milder than last January at both the airport and the marina, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
At Atlantic City International Airport, the average temperature for January was 30.8 in 2026, compared to 30.6 during the same period in 2025. Both readings fall a little below the mean of 33.0. At the Atlantic City Marina, the average was 32.7 in 2026, up from 32.1 in 2025, but still below the 34.5 mean. Even up the Jersey Shore at Long Branch, Monmouth County, 2025’s January was just 0.7 degrees milder.
In other words, January 2025 was colder. However, I hear you, 2026 just felt more frigid.
Maybe it’s because of the snow. Last January experienced a South Jersey Snow Special on Jan. 6. Six to 10 inches of snow fell in Lower Cape May County, with a plowable snow south of the Atlantic City Expressway. However, it was gone a week later. Meanwhile, our winter smorgasbord from Jan. 25 to 26 continues to be an icy glacier more than 10 days later.
A snow covered Mid-Atlantic from Feb. 2, 2026 on the visible satellite image. Note the green area in eastern New Jersey. That’s the dense forest of the Pine Barrens. There was still snow on the ground there. (College of DuPage)Snow and sleet totals from the Jan. 25, 2026 Winter Storm (Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist)
Maybe it’s because, compared to average, New Jersey is among the coldest places in the United States this winter, according to Ben Noll of the Washington Post.
Maybe it’s because our coldest days were colder. Five days were 15 or more degrees below average at ACY Airport this year. Last year, there were three. It was nearly the same in Atlantic City.
Otherwise, maybe it’s just because we remember only what happened to us lately. Last January had more days with gusts over 45 mph, according to NOAA, compared to this January.
Bay ice concentration in the Mid-Atlantic last January, at its peak (48.72%), was double what it was at its peak this January on Jan. 29 (20.5%).
Compared to the rest of recorded history, this January was just a little colder than average. In our climate-changing world, it’s been harder to achieve long stretches of bitterly cold temperatures.
Last month, the only cold temperature records that occurred within our four, long-standing Jersey Shore weather stations (Lower Township, Atlantic City International Airport, Atlantic City Marina and Long Branch) were:
Atlantic City Marina tied a record cold maximum temperature of 22 degrees on Jan. 30. Long Branch broke the cold maximum temperature record with 18 degrees on Jan. 31.
That’s not much. New Jersey had the 39th coldest January of 132 years of record keeping, Dave Robinson, the New Jersey state climatologist said on my Monthly Weather Roundup show. The coastal zone, which is generally anywhere east of the Garden State Parkway, was the 41st coldest.
December and January are as cold as the 1960s at Atlantic City Marina. ACY Airport was like an average one in the 1980s.
The climate is changing at a rate not seen since the end of the Paleozoic period 250 million years ago, according to research reported in Science magazine.
Looking ahead, February looks like it will be a colder-than-average month. That would be our first meteorological winter (December-February) colder than the long-term average in quite some time. However, if you’re done with the cold, keep in mind that the days are getting longer and it’s a little light past 6 p.m. now.
The more bitterly cold time of the year is behind us. Warmer days are on the way.
I was going to write this column anyway, but with the 2016 Challenge spreading throughout the internet, this came at a perfect time.
The Blizzard of 2016 happened Jan. 22 to 24 of that year. The Weather Channel named it Winter Storm Jonas, which is how many of us know it today.
It came with high winds, rounds of significant coastal flooding, extreme cold and, of course, snow. This nor’easter had it all, enough to make this the fifth most impactful northeast winter storm since records began in 1956, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). For context, that’s between the slightly weaker Presidents Day II Blizzard of 2003 and the much stronger Blizzard of 1996.
Regional wide snowfall totals from the Blizzard of 2016 (via the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
Sadly, at least eight people died, according to NJ.com, and over 100,000 homes and businesses were without power. Moody’s Analytics estimated $4 billion in damage on the East Coast, in December 2025 dollars.
Jonas is a good reason why my weather dad, Jim Eberwine, always says that we have a 12-month hurricane season here at the shore. Nor’easters around here are feared more for their flooding and wind than the snow itself.
Flooding rivaling Sandy
For those south of Brigantine, where Superstorm Sandy made landfall four years earlier in 2012, the Blizzard of 2016 brought even more significant flooding.
Two rounds of flooding affected the Jersey Shore the mornings of Jan. 23 and 24. The combination of powerful, onshore winds, and the near-full moon drove feet of saltwater into beach towns in some locations.
In Cape May Harbor, the NOAA tide gauge reached a record 9.36 feet above mean lower low water. That was more than a half foot higher than Sandy. Below are others that had a higher crest than Sandy.
Delaware Bay (Cape May):
8.98 feet in Jonas
8.89 feet in Sandy
North Wildwood:
9.44 feet in Jonas
8.9 feet in Sandy
Nearly every tide gauge, from Cape May to Tuckerton, was in major flood stage on Jan. 23. That made travel nearly impossible around the high tide (snow and ice aside) and brought water into homes and businesses that rarely see it.
Farther north through Sandy Hook saw moderate flooding, similar to the flooding we had during the October 2025 nor’easter. Generally the flood level was 3 to 4 feet above normally high ground along the South Jersey shoreline.
There were concerns about saltwater freezing on the roads on the nights of Jan. 23 and 24, as temperatures fell into the 20s. However, that mostly did not occur.
Whipping winds
Power outages were a problem for many at the Jersey Shore. Onshore winds were fierce and drove tidal flooding.
Strathmere had the highest gusts at the South Jersey Shore, topping out at 64 mph at 6:28 a.m. on Jan. 23, according to the National Weather Service. Several places gusted at or over 60 mph, including Ocean City, Cape May and Pleasantville.
However, the strongest winds were in Ocean County. Good Luck Point in Bayville took the top mark statewide at 72 mph. Good luck standing in that. Other Ocean County gusts on Jan. 23 included:
Tuckerton: 68 mph
Harvey Cedars: 64 mph
Beach Haven: 62 mph
Lakewood: 61 mph
Seaside Heights: 61 mph
Holgate: 61 mph
Beach Haven: 60 mph
Beyond that, many beach towns, from Sea Bright to Cape May, gusted to at least 50 mph once.
A decent amount of snow
The fierce winds blew and snow drifted feet high. However, snow was more of a concern for inland folks rather than people in shore and beach towns.
The highest snowfall totals reported in Atlantic and Cape May counties were 17.5 inches in Buena Vista Township. Closer to the coast, Atlantic City International Airport picked up 12.9 inches. Wildwood Crest had 11.3 inches and Woodbine had 8.6 inches, according to data gathered by the Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist.
In typical Jersey Shore fashion, we had a smorgasbord of precipitation types.
“Snow began falling in the south during the early evening of the 22nd, moving steadily northward,” said Dave Robinson, the New Jersey state climatologist at the time.
“The intensity of the storm grew overnight, with heavy snow falling by the morning of the 23rd, winds howling and ocean waters pouring into coastal communities at times of high tide… Early snow turned over into a mix of snow, sleet and rain in… coastal areas, before turning back to snow toward the storm’s end.”
Snowfall totals from the Blizzard of 2016, via the Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist
Farther north, it was a high-end snowstorm. Ocean County picked up 12 to 21 inches of snow. Monmouth County’s lower snowfall total was just 16.5 inches in Colts Neck. Rumson picked up 25.5 inches while on the beach, Long Branch saw up to 21 inches. NOAA’s fifth-place ranking aside, the Jersey Shore hasn’t had a winter storm bring quite the combination of snow, wind and tidal flooding since.
For reference, The Blizzard of January 2022 saw 12 to 21 inches up and down the Jersey Shore. Drifts of snow were all around. Thankfully, there was no tidal flooding.
Just a few weeks before that, there was significant flooding and wind in the snowy nor’easter of Jan. 3, 2022 (I was freezing in my rain boots in a foot of water off the White Horse Pike in Atlantic City). Snowfall totals of 9 to 15 inches buried South Jersey in snow. Once you got to Exit 88 on the Garden State Parkway, barely an inch fell.
Is a big snow expected this winter?
I don’t believe so. As mentioned in our winter outlook column, this looks more like the season for medium-sized snows without major tidal flooding, like the one 1/25 to 1/26 for the Jersey Shore. The prevailing storm track doesn’t favor the types of low-pressure systems that form off the Florida or Georgia Coast, and increase in strength as they move north.
That being said, another bitterly cold outbreak is expected late in January through the first half of February. This may be a case of it being too dry to snow much. We’ll keep you updated.
Joe Martucci, a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist and Digital Meteorologist, is the President and Director of Meteorology for Cup A Joe Weather and Drone. You can connect with him at cupajoe.live/.
