January 2011 will enter the record books as experiencing the most snow in 116 years. That's great news for sellers of snowblowers and shovels, but bad news for residents - especially Shore residents unaccustomed to heavy snow totals - who have literally done plenty of heavy lifting since Dec. 26.

The state’s climatologist made the call on Thursday in New Brunswick, which is used as the yardstick for statewide snow measurement.

With 16.1 inches of fresh powder, this month has toppled a record set in 1894, said Dr. David A. Robinson, chairman of the department of geography at Rutgers University. 

A total of 30.9 inches of snow has fallen in New Brunswick in January. That’s a lot for January, and a lot for any winter month. In fact, there’s only been one other month with that much snowfall in the record books. And that was just last February, Robinson said. 

If you’re keeping track, the Garden State had 50.4 inches of snow so far this winter.  At No. 9, we’re already in the top 10 for the snowiest winter season – and only 8.6 inches away from taking over second place. The Dec. 26 blizzard dumped 34 inches of snow on Brick Township, according to the National Weather Service office in Mount Holly. The latest storm, on Jan. 27, piled another 10.6 inches on the township.

And a word of advice from the experts: fill up your snowblower's gas tank. Early next week there's the potential for another snow event.

“Too early to tell how big, how much,” Robinson said.  How tiring.