We are enjoying some quiet weather this week here at the Jersey Shore, but we all know just how quickly that can change.

If you are the kind of person who holds your breath this time of year each time you hear a weather forecast hoping that we avoid any big storms or extreme weather this winter at the Jersey Shore, than you have been enjoying this week.

But it is January at the Jersey Shore, so we all know there is the potential for a big storm that can remind us just how much we love summer. A storm just like that, as a matter of fact a storm for the ages, hit the Jersey Shore in January of 1996.

That storm is simply referred to as the Blizzard of '96, and if you lived through it, you will never forget it. Here are some facts about the Blizzard of '96 and just how paralyzing it was for the Jersey Shore and the rest of the Garden State.

The storm brought anywhere from 10-24 inches of snow to parts of the Garden State. Ocean County was on the lower end with just about 10 inches, according to Only In Your State, but it wasn't just the snow accumulations.

There were reports of white out conditions up and down the Jersey Shore due to the high winds reported during the storm, with wind gusts recorded at 81 mph in Ocean Grove.

A state of emergency was declared in the state, and every road, including the full length of the New Jersey Turnpike was closed. It was the first time in history the whole Turnpike was shut down.

The Blizzard of '96 happened between January 6th and the 8th that year, and anyone who was around for it will never forget it.

So, let memories of the Blizzard of '96 help us appreciate this week's weather here at the Jersey Shore and remind us how quickly January Jersey Shore weather can turn on us. Stay up to date with Jersey Shore weather with our Chief Meteorologist Dan Zarrow.

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