Snowiest Day On Record: The Day Morris County Saw Most Snowfall

Only a few centenarians may remember April 15, 1921, the day it snowed 76 inches in Boulder County, Colorado. Snowfall records for a single day aren’t quite as impressive in Morris County, according to an analysis of government weather data.

Historical weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows every state in the country, even tropical Hawaii, has seen snow. A February 1936 storm that dumped 6½ inches of snow on Maui was impressive even by Midwest and Northeast standards. The only other time that Hawaii had an extreme snowfall was in December 1958, when the Big Island got 4½ inches.

In Morris County, the biggest one-day snowfall was 26 inches in February 1978. In New Jersey, the record goes to Somerset County and Sussex County when it snowed 30 inches. For Somerset County, this record occurred on Jan. 23, 2016. In Sussex County, it occurred on Jan. 26, 1905.

That compares to records in neighboring counties:

• Burlington County, 19.6 inches: Dec. 20, 2019
• Essex County, 29.5 inches: Jan. 8, 1996
• Atlantic County, 21 inches: Feb. 17, 1902

With two months of winter left, there are plenty of chances to break those records. The Old Farmer’s Almanac predicted a cold, snowy winter throughout much of the United States, with at least seven big snowstorms from one coast to the other.

In our state, the Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts a "wet and wild" winter.

The competing Farmers’ Almanac predicts that the eastern two-thirds of the United States can expect a snowy ride through the rest of the winter.

In New Jersey, the Farmers’ Almanac predicts gusty winds with rain changing to snow from Jan. 24-Jan. 27. From Jan. 28-Jan. 31, expect very cold air. Heavy lake-effect snow showers/squalls lee of Great Lakes.

For the month of February, the Farmers' Almanac predicts the following:

• Feb. 1-3: Unsettled perhaps a flaky Groundhog Day, then clearing/cold.
• Feb 4-7: Storm strengthens south of Long Island and intensifies as it moves northeast. Two to five inches of snow from NYC, points north and east; lesser amounts south and west.
• Feb 8-11: Light snows/flurries.
• Feb. 12-15: Clearing skies; blustery.
• Feb. 16-19: Fair skies.

In the short term, the seven-day National Weather Service prediction for our area calls for an 80 percent chance of snow this Saturday along with a strong chance of rain. View the full forecast here.