An intense and rapidly developing low pressure system helped produce heavy snow over the higher terrain of northwest New Jersey on the 28th. A heavy precipitation band was able to chill the atmosphere to snow also over sections of central New Jersey during the mid day hours on the 28th. This was an elevation driven event in northwest New Jersey, as much less snow accumulated below about 800 feet. It was a dynamically cooling driven event in central New Jersey where the accumulating snow coincided with the heaviest precipitation rates. Accumulations in northwest New Jersey reached 14 inches; in central New Jersey around two inches. The combination of the heavy wet snow, leaves still on the trees and wind led to about 80,000 homes and businesses to losing power in Northwest New Jersey. Jersey Central Power and Light had to call in repair crews as far away as Ohio to assist with restoration. Power was not fully restored until the evening of the 31st.
Over the higher terrain of New Jersey, the rain began during the evening of the 27th. Precipitation changed to snow around 6 a.m. EDT on the 28th and fell heavy at times into the afternoon. Precipitation  ended during the early evening of the 28th. The heaviest snow fell between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. EDT on the 28th. In the valleys, precipitation type was intensity driven. When precipitation became heavier, it changed to snow, lighter it went back to rain. This meteorological process is called dynamic cooling in which so much snow is falling from aloft that the amount of heat needed to melt the snow, cools the surrounding air where it can support snow at a lower level to the point where it can reach the ground. Once the snow intensity weakens, warmer surrounding air moves in and raises temperatures so the snow melts before reaching the ground. A similar precipitation event like this one occurred in New York State in September of 1987. This same process occurred in central New Jersey during the late morning and early afternoon on the 28th as the rain changed to an accumulating snow for two to four hours. Otherwise precipitation started as rain the previous evening and ended as rain very late in the afternoon on the 28th.
The combination of the heavy wet snow and very strong winds led to many traveling problems as well as downed trees and wires across Northwest New Jersey. In most instances, the worst problems occurred in higher terrain townships with elevations of greater than 800 feet. About 80,000 homes and businesses lost power. Power was not fully restored until the evening of the 31st. The biggest traveling problem was the closure of Interstate 80 between Allamuchy Township in Warren County and Wharton Borough in Morris County between 230 p.m. and 500 p.m. EDT on the 28th.
In Morris County, Washington, Mount Olive and Jefferson Townships were hit the hardest. More than 10,000 homes and businesses lost power in those townships. There were still 5,500 without power in Washington Township on the 29th. In Washington Township, about 25 roads were closed because of downed trees. Police responded to ten times the average number of calls and there were 1,500 weather related responses in all. Schools held students through dinner waiting for roads to be cleared. Schools were closed on the 29th. In Mount Olive Township, there were about 1,000 police calls and thirty reports of property damage. Schools were also closed on the 29th. In Randolph Township, a downed Bradford Pear tree damaged a home. The AAA had to suspend emergency service in the county because of the snow and many after school activities were postponed throughout the county.
In Hunterdon County, Lebanon Township was hardest hit with a dozen major roads closed, some through the 31st. One school district was also closed through the 31st. Shower facilities were made available by the township for residents who lost power. In Delaware Township, a 38-year-old man was injured after driving into a telephone pole. In West Amwell Township, a 26 year-old woman and a 44 year-old-woman were injured in a head-on collision. In Glen Gardner, one home caught on fire after its occupants used its fireplace to try to keep warm. More than 10,000 homes and businesses lost power in Califon, Clifton, Flemington, Glen Gardner, Hampton, High Bridge and Readington.
In Warren County, Hackettstown was hardest hit with power outages (about 7,000) as over 20,000 county residents lost power in Allamuchy, Hackettstown, Independence, Liberty and Mansfield. A shelter was opened at the Mansfield Township Elementary School. Hotels were booked solid. The county responded to about 600 emergency calls and there were about 100 vehicular crashes. Numerous roads were blocked by downed trees including U.S. Route 46. In Sussex County, there were 443 weather related calls in Sparta Township. New Jersey State Route 15 was closed during the afternoon. A new snowfall record was set at High Point and the state for the month of October: 14.0 inches.
In central New Jersey, the snow caused some slushy accumulation on roadways and cancelled after school activities. The New Jersey Turnpike was salted between exits 8 and 11. The 1.5 inches of snow that accumulated in New Brunswick (Middlesex County) was a record snowfall for so early in the season and October.

Snowfall totals included 14.0 inches at High Point State Park (a new state October record) in Sussex County, 12.0 inches in Lebanon Township (Hunterdon County) and Schooley's Mountain (Morris County), 11.5 inches in Mount Olive (Morris County), 8.0 inches in Long Valley (Morris County) and Califon (Hunterdon County), 5.5 inches in Flanders (Morris County), 5.0 inches in Sparta (Sussex County), 4.8 inches in Hackettstown (Warren County), 4.5 inches in Wantage (Sussex County), 4.0 inches in Independence (Warren County), 2.5 inches in Hopewell (Mercer County) and Newton (Sussex County), 1.5 inches in New Brunswick (Middlesex County), 1.3 inches in Hillsborough (Somerset County) and 1.0 inch in Flemington (Hunterdon County), Rockaway (Morris County) and Peapack (Somerset County).
A cold front moved through the region on the 27th and stalled offshore. A low pressure system developed on the stalled front over North Carolina on the afternoon of the 27th. It slowly moved northeast and intensified rapidly. By 2 a.m. EDT on the 28th it was just off the New Jersey Coast and had a central pressure of 1003 millibars. At 8 a.m. EDT on the 28th, the low pressure system was approaching central Long Island, New York and the pressure lowered to 995 millibars. It proceeded to move northeast and was a 989 millibar low pressure system near Hartford, Connecticut at 2 p.m. EDT on the 28th and a 986 millibar low pressure system along the northern Vermont and New Hampshire border at 8 p.m. EDT on the 28th. A closed upper level low moved through the region during the day on the 28th. The relatively colder air at its center coupled with the heavy precipitation intensity made it possible for the rain to change to snow in parts of the region.

Heavy Snow in MORRIS, NEW JERSEY
From 28-OCT-08 05:00:00 to 28-OCT-08 17:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Weather in SUSSEX, NEW JERSEY
From 28-OCT-08 05:00:00 to 28-OCT-08 17:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Weather in WARREN, NEW JERSEY
From 28-OCT-08 05:00:00 to 28-OCT-08 17:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Weather in HUNTERDON, NEW JERSEY
From 28-OCT-08 05:00:00 to 28-OCT-08 17:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Weather in SOMERSET, NEW JERSEY
From 28-OCT-08 10:00:00 to 28-OCT-08 13:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Weather in MIDDLESEX, NEW JERSEY
From 28-OCT-08 11:00:00 to 28-OCT-08 13:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Weather in MERCER, NEW JERSEY
From 28-OCT-08 09:00:00 to 28-OCT-08 12:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter