Top Stories of the Year: #5 January Blizzard
On Jan. 23, a state of emergency was declared by Gov. Christie after parts of New Jersey saw up to 33 inches of snow. The snow was more than meteorologists originally predicted; places like Newark
News 12 Staff
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Dec 26, 2016, 9:17 PM
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Updated 2,670 days ago
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On Jan. 23, a state of emergency was declared by Gov. Christie after parts of New Jersey saw up to 33 inches of snow.
The snow was more than meteorologists originally predicted; places like Newark were only expected to see about 8 inches of snow.
The storm took a huge toll on New Jersey's beaches, as nearly a third sustained major erosion. The beaches in the Holgate section of Long Beach Township dropped up to 15 feet in elevation.
The aftermath of the storm also had a major impact. Many towns like Paterson and Newark struggled to plow their streets.
Getting rid of the snow proved to be a major challenge. In Woodbridge, the snow was put into a melter and then washed down the storm sewers. In Paterson, the snow was dumped into the Passaic River.
New Jersey state troopers responded to 301 crashes and aided 1,635 motorists during the storm. Five deaths were attributed to it.
The blizzard was officially the fourth most powerful snowstorm to hit New Jersey and the Northeast in more than 60 years.
According to a NOAA spokeswoman, the blizzard effected 102.8 million people and covered about 434,000 square miles in 26 states.
Almost 24 million people saw more than 20 inches of snow as flakes fell from Louisiana to Maine.
