WINTER STORM SUMMARY FOR
JANUARY 29, 2005 TO JANUARY 30, 2005 EVENT

Synopsis

Low pressure along the Gulf Coast Saturday morning, January 29th, strengthened as it moved to the Carolina Coast by Sunday morning. The low continued to develop as it moved gradually eastward and offshore late Sunday and Sunday night. As the low pressure system intensified and moved eastward, the associated moderate to heavy precipitation shield expanded further north across the region. The entire region received some snow from this storm, however the heavier amounts were across the southern areas (generally from Philadelphia on southward). As the storm moved to our south and intensified, warmer air was pulled in aloft across southeastern New Jersey, Delaware and eastern Maryland to produce freezing rain and sleet. The low pressure system responsible for the messy weather then exited to the east late Sunday (January 30th), ending the precipitation from west to east.

Watches/Warnings/Advisories

A Winter Storm Watch was issued at 4 AM, January 29th, 2005 for Caroline, Inland Sussex and Talbot counties in Maryland. A Winter Weather Advisory was issued at 4 PM, January 29th for portions of southern New Jersey, Delaware and the Eastern Maryland Shore counties. The Winter Weather Advisory was upgraded to a Winter Storm Warning at midnight Sunday, January 30th for Atlantic Coastal Cape May, Cape May and Coastal Atlantic counties in New Jersey, Delaware Beaches, Inland Sussex and Kent counties in Delaware, and Talbot and Caroline counties in Maryland. A Winter Weather Advisory was in effect as of midnight for Atlantic, Cumberland, Camden, Coastal Ocean, Gloucester, Northwestern Burlington, Ocean, Southeastern Burlington, and Salem counties in New Jersey, Cecil, Kent and Queen Anne's counties in Maryland, and New Castle county in Delaware. At 4 AM, January 30th, Delaware and Philadelphia counties in Pennsylvania were added to the Winter Weather Advisory. At 11 AM, January 30th, the Winter Storm Warning was cancelled and replaced with a Winter Weather Advisory. Therefore at 11 AM January 30th, a Winter Weather Advisory was in effect for portions of southern New Jersey, Delaware, and the Eastern Maryland Shore counties, however Delaware and Philadelphia counties in Pennsylvania were dropped from the advisory. The Winter Weather Advisory was then cancelled at 4 PM, January 30th.

Precipitation/Temperatures/Winds

Precipitation overspread the region from the west and southwest late Saturday night (January 29th) or early Sunday morning (January 30th). In general, snow accumulations ranged from 0.5 inches to 3 inches across the entire region, with locally 4 inches found across the Eastern Maryland Shore counties. Temperatures remained at or below freezing across the entire region during the duration of the storm, however as warmer air arrived aloft during Sunday, the snow changed to sleet and freezing rain across portions of southeastern New Jersey, and all of Delaware and the Eastern Maryland Shore counties. Anywhere from 0.10 to 0.50 inches of ice accumulated along a line from Cumberland and Cape May counties in New Jersey, westward to Cecil county in Maryland and locations southward. The greatest icing occurred across Inland Sussex county in Delaware. Winds were generally light during this storm.

Significant Impacts/Aspects

While the snow accumulations were not heavy across the region during the storm, travel did become slippery across most areas for a time late Saturday night and through Sunday morning. The main impact was the combination of snowfall, then icing which occurred across far southern New Jersey, all of Delaware, and the Eastern Maryland Shore counties. Numerous traffic accidents were reported in Sussex county, Delaware as well as traffic lights reported to be hanging low due to the ice accumulations. However, no reports of power outages were received as a result of the snow and ice.

Notes

Information contained in this summary is preliminary. More complete and/or detailed information may be contained in subsequent monthly NOAA storm data publications.