How much snow fell at the Jersey Shore? Here are some observations

A storm that began with rain and sleet didn’t quite live up to expectations at the Jersey Shore.

Although it wreaked havoc on the morning commute, with icy conditions reported on numerous roadways in Monmouth and Ocean counties, the smaller snowfall accumulation was largely pinned on timing.

Lance Franck, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Mount Holly, says the timing of the changeover from rain to sleet and then snow at the Jersey Shore cut down on snow totals.

Last night’s forecast called for totals in the 8-12″ range for interior Monmouth County, 6-8″ in interior Ocean County, 2-4″ in southern Ocean County, and 1-2″ in Atlantic and Cape May Counties, with a sharp gradient of lesser accumulations at the coast. Those projections were lowered this morning. 

While the coastal areas were always in the forecast to see snow last, the timing happened a bit later in Shore counties, depriving a transition of snow at a forecasted rate of one to two inches an hour, according to Franck. 

“it was a tricky forecast,” he said, adding that yesterday’s unseasonably warm air was also a factor since temperatures had a far descent to coincide with the incoming storm.

The storm also began to rapidly intensify offshore as it took aim on Long Island and New England, further resulting in lower totals, forecasters said.

The National Weather Service warns of black ice tonight as untreated surfaces will freeze. 

Accumulation reports for the Jersey Shore and the remainder of the area counties are available here from the National Weather Service (the link will be continually updated):

…ATLANTIC COUNTY…HAMMONTON 2.1 1135 AM 2/09 CO-OP OBSERVERESTELL MANOR 1.1 1115 AM 2/09 CO-OP OBSERVERGALLOWAY TWP 0.8 1053 AM 2/09 TRAINED SPOTTER

..CAPE MAY COUNTY…DENNISVILLE 1.3 1104 AM 2/09 TRAINED SPOTTER

…MONMOUTH COUNTY… FREEHOLD 6.2 215 PM 2/09 SOCIAL MEDIA MANALAPAN 5.8 315 PM 2/09 TRAINED SPOTTER KEYPORT 4.5 1225 PM 2/09 TRAINED SPOTTER ABERDEEN TWP 4.0 1017 AM 2/09 TRAINED SPOTTER FREEHOLD TWP 4.0 214 PM 2/09 TRAINED SPOTTER NEPTUNE TWP 3.5 213 PM 2/09 SOCIAL MEDIA COLTS NECK 3.0 1225 PM 2/09 SOCIAL MEDIA WEST FREEHOLD 3.0 1105 AM 2/09 TRAINED SPOTTER

…OCEAN COUNTY…LAKEWOOD 3.5 1227 PM 2/09 SOCIAL MEDIABRICK TWP 3.2 1143 AM 2/09 TRAINED SPOTTERTOMS RIVER 2.0 1050 AM 2/09 SOCIAL MEDIAWHITING 2.0 1059 AM 2/09 TRAINED SPOTTERBERKELEY TWP 1.3 1100 AM 2/09 COCORAHSBARNEGAT 0.5 1023 AM 2/09 SOCIAL MEDIA