A historic and unprecedented early-season winter storm impacted the area on Saturday, October 29, with more than one foot of heavy wet snow falling on interior portions of northeast New Jersey. This is the first time a winter storm of this magnitude has ever occurred in October.
Late Friday night, October 28, an area of low pressure emerged from the South Carolina coastal plain into the western Atlantic Ocean.  The low moved up the coast late Friday night into Saturday morning.  The low began to rapidly strengthen late Saturday morning when it was east of the Delmarva coast, and continued to strengthen as it passed south of Long Island Saturday night.  Areas just north and west of New York City were just cold enough to support a heavy wet snow.  The heaviest snow fell across interior northeast New Jersey, with up to 18 inches of snowfall across higher elevations.
Thousands of people across northeast New Jersey lost power during this event as heavy snow accumulated on trees that still had partial to full foliage during mid-autumn. This caused extensive felling of trees and limbs across the region and damage to power lines.

Winter Storm in WESTERN UNION, NEW JERSEY
From 29-OCT-11 10:00:00 to 29-OCT-11 22:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

A significant number of trees came down across the county starting around 1 pm EST due to 3 to 6 inches of heavy wet snow.
In Union, a tree came down on a car across Route 22 East on the Garden State Parkway around 1 pm EST. In Mountainside, all lanes were closed on US 22 East at Mountain Avenue due to downed trees around 2 pm EST. In Springfield, multiple exits along I-78 were closed due to downed trees on the afternoon of 29th.

Heavy Snow in WESTERN ESSEX, NEW JERSEY
From 29-OCT-11 10:00:00 to 29-OCT-11 22:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Widespread tree damage and power outages occurred due to 6 to 12 inches of heavy wet snow. The heavier amounts fell in the higher elevations.
In Cedar Grove, all lanes were closed due to downed wires on NJ 23 at County Road 617 around 730 pm EST. In North Caldwell and West Orange, multiple trees and power lines were reported down across the town by the evening of the 29th. In Millburn, all lanes were closed on NJ 124 west at Lakeview Avenue due to a downed tree in the early morning of the 30th. In Roseland, a child was injured when a tree branch fell on a child on Evelyn Road around noon on the 30th.

Winter Storm in EASTERN BERGEN, NEW JERSEY
From 29-OCT-11 10:00:00 to 30-OCT-11 00:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Widespread tree damage and power outages occurred due to 2 to 7 inches of heavy wet snow. The heavier amounts fell in the higher elevations.
In North Arlington at around 1pm EST, a tree was reported down on a car at the intersection of Ridge Road and Crystal Street, and a tree down on a house at Morgan Place. In Park Ridge, large tree branches were reported down with popping transformers around 1 pm EST. In Palisades Park, NJ 93 was closed in both directions at County Road 501 and at County Road 56 in Leonia due to fallen trees, around 3 pm EST. At around the same time, in Englewood Cliffs, wires were downed across US 9W in both directions and closing all lanes.

Heavy Snow in EASTERN PASSAIC, NEW JERSEY
From 29-OCT-11 10:00:00 to 29-OCT-11 23:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Widespread tree damage and power outages occurred due to 4 to 7 inches of heavy wet snow. The heavier amounts fell in the higher elevations.
In Hawthorne, branches were reported down on wires on Washington Avenue around 3 pm EST. While in Wayne, numerous trees were downed with power outages by around 335 pm EST.

Heavy Snow in WESTERN PASSAIC, NEW JERSEY
From 29-OCT-11 11:00:00 to 29-OCT-11 22:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Widespread tree damage and power outages occurred due to 7 to 19 inches of heavy wet snow. The heavier amounts fell in the higher elevations.
In West Milford, where 19 inches of snow was measured, a downed tree closed all lanes on Route New Jersey 23 northbound at County Road 295 at around 5 pm EST.

Heavy Snow in WESTERN BERGEN, NEW JERSEY
From 29-OCT-11 10:00:00 to 29-OCT-11 23:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Widespread tree damage and power outages occurred due to 4 to 9 inches of heavy wet snow. The heavier amounts fell in the higher elevations.
In Paramus, wires were downed on Paramus Road at Morningside at around 135 pm EST, while in Ridgewood, Maple at Ackerman Roads were closed due to downed trees and powerlines. In Midland Park, numerous trees and powerlines were reported down at 230 pm  EST. A tree was reported down on a house on Woodland Avenue in Ramsey at 720 pm EST, with three other reports of damaged cars due to falling trees.

Winter Storm in HUDSON, NEW JERSEY
From 29-OCT-11 10:00:00 to 30-OCT-11 00:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

A significant number of trees came down across the county starting around 1 pm EST due to 2 to 5 inches of heavy wet snow.
In Harrison, Grant Avenue was closed around 1 pm EST due to tree branches down on cars, while numerous trees were reported down on Cleveland Avenue and throughout the town.

Winter Storm in EASTERN UNION, NEW JERSEY
From 29-OCT-11 10:00:00 to 29-OCT-11 23:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

A significant number of trees came down across the county starting around 2 pm EST due to 2 to 4 inches of heavy wet snow.
All lanes were closed on NJ 439 south at County Road 623 in Elizabeth due to a downed tree around 200 pm EST.

Winter Storm in EASTERN ESSEX, NEW JERSEY
From 29-OCT-11 10:00:00 to 29-OCT-11 23:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

A significant number of trees came down across the county by around 3 pm EST due to 4 to 6 inches of heavy wet snow.
In Belleville, numerous trees were reported down and blocking roadways around 3 pm EST.