The first measurable snow of the winter season accumulated 2 to 5 inches across most of central and northern New Jersey. Some higher amounts occurred in the higher terrain especially in Sussex County. Only an inch or less accumulated across most of the southern half of New Jersey. The accumulations were elevation driven as higher terrain locations had more than nearby valleys. The heaviest accumulations occurred on non-paved surfaces, bridges and overpasses.
In central New Jersey, precipitation started as rain during the late morning  on the 5th. The rain changed to snow in most places by mid afternoon. Snow ended by Midnight EST that evening. In northwest New Jersey, the snow began during the early afternoon and fell at its heaviest during the middle and late afternoon. The snow ended that evening.
Snowfall included 7.3 inches in Sparta (Sussex County), 7.0 inches in Bethlehem (Hunterdon County), Newton and Vernon (Sussex County), 6.6 inches in Wantage (Sussex County), 6.3 inches in Hardyston (Sussex County), 6.2 inches in Rockaway (Morris County), 6.1 inches in Marcella (Morris County), 5.5 inches in Chester (Morris County), 5.0 inches in Stockton (Hunterdon County), 4.8 inches in Hackettstown (Warren County), 4.5 inches in Randolph (Morris County) and Blairstown (Warren County), 3.2 inches in Califon (Hunterdon County), 2.5 inches in Clinton (Hunterdon County), 2.1 inches in Millstone (Monmouth County). 2.0 inches in East Windsor (Mercer County) and Edison (Middlesex County), 1.5 inches in Flemington (Hunterdon County) and Mendham (Morris County), 1.4 inches in Hillsborough (Somerset County) and 1.2 inches in Bridgewater (Somerset County).
The combination of spring tides associated with the recent full moon and the onshore flow around the low pressure system produced minor tidal flooding at the time of the morning high tide along the ocean front. The high tide at Cape May (Cape May County) reached 7.06 feet above mean lower low water (minor tidal flooding starts at 6.7 feet above mean lower low water) and the high tide at Atlantic City (Atlantic County) reached 6.38 feet above mean lower low water (minor tidal flooding starts at 6.0 feet above mean lower low water).
The precipitation was caused by a low pressure system that formed off the North Carolina coastal waters during the early morning of the 5th. The low moved rapidly northeast and at 7 p.m. EST on the 5th was already about 200 miles east of Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Heavy Snow in SUSSEX, NEW JERSEY
From 05-DEC-09 12:00:00 to 05-DEC-09 21:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Winter Weather in HUNTERDON, NEW JERSEY
From 05-DEC-09 13:00:00 to 05-DEC-09 21:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Winter Weather in MERCER, NEW JERSEY
From 05-DEC-09 15:00:00 to 05-DEC-09 21:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Winter Weather in MIDDLESEX, NEW JERSEY
From 05-DEC-09 15:00:00 to 05-DEC-09 21:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Winter Weather in MORRIS, NEW JERSEY
From 05-DEC-09 13:00:00 to 05-DEC-09 21:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Winter Weather in SOMERSET, NEW JERSEY
From 05-DEC-09 14:00:00 to 05-DEC-09 21:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Winter Weather in WARREN, NEW JERSEY
From 05-DEC-09 13:00:00 to 05-DEC-09 21:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Winter Weather in WESTERN MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY
From 05-DEC-09 15:00:00 to 05-DEC-09 21:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet