New Jersey teeters on a drought emergency after historic blizzard

🔴 Snowstorms weren’t enough to erase New Jersey’s ongoing drought warning.

🔴 Groundwater in South Jersey and reservoir levels statewide remain well below average.

🔴 Officials warn mandatory water restrictions could follow if spring rains don’t return.

Despite two massive snowstorms this winter, including a historic blizzard, New Jersey is still under a drought warning.

Why the blizzard didn’t end the drought

It's harder to tell when there's a drought in winter versus the summer, because people expect dead lawns and trees. But there are problems under the surface. The groundwater levels in South Jersey are low, and reservoir levels are well below average, according to State Climatologist Dave Robinson.

More than two feet of snow fell in parts of Jersey during the recent Blizzard of '26, according to New Jersey 101.5 Chief Meteorologist Dan Zarrow. But two feet of snow is not the same as two feet of rain.

It's a 10 to one ratio; every 10 inches of snow converts to only one inch of liquid. For most of the state, the historic blizzard was the equivalent of two inches of rain. Robinson said that on average, New Jersey gets around 3 inches of precipitation each February.

Nearly two years of below-average precipitation

It's the same unnerving trend the state has seen for nearly two years. Since May 2024, New Jersey has had below-average precipitation in 19 of 22 months.

In December, another drought warning was issued by the state Department of Environmental Protection. State officials encouraged residents to conserve water by taking shorter showers, running the dishwasher only when full, and checking pipes for leaks after thaws.

"We are absolutely going to need a return to average, if not occasionally above-average precipitation, over the next several months in order to dodge the potential of ramping up to a drought emergency," Robinson said.

What happens if New Jersey enters a drought emergency?

A drought emergency carries mandatory water restrictions, not just suggestions, to reduce water demands. The first phase of a drought emergency usually restricts non-essential outdoor use, such as watering lawns.

Fortunately, this first week of March appears wetter than most of February. Dan Zarrow says a mix of icy rain is expected on Tuesday, followed by warmer rains on Wednesday and Thursday. Altogether, the week could drop around one inch of rain on New Jersey.

READ MORE: Dan Zarrow's weather blog

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