Newest Snowfall Estimates For Wednesday Storm In NJ

NEW JERSEY — The Garden State’s first “significant” snowfall of 2023 is coming Wednesday morning, complete with 3 to 4 inches of snow, wind gusts up to 50 mph and possible coastal flooding. Forecasters are warning the storm could cause slippery road conditions.

Around 1 to 2 inches of widespread rainfall is expected in the Garden State starting around noon, with locally higher amounts possible near and southeast of Interstate 95, forecasters from the National Weather Service said. Minor flooding is possible in low-lying and poor-drainage areas.

AccuWeather predicts we could see around 3 inches of snow in some parts of New Jersey by the time the storm exits the state early Thursday morning.

The National Weather Service's estimates are slightly higher. In North Jersey’s Warren, Morris and Sussex Counties, total snow and sleet could reach up to 1 to 2 inches in lower elevations and up to 4 inches in higher elevations, with bursts of moderate-to-heavy snowfall potentially exceeding an inch per hour, that agency predicts. The snow is expected to change from rain to snow in the late morning to early afternoon north of Interstate 78, then back to rain in the afternoon and evening.

The National Weather Service has already issued a winter weather advisory Wednesday morning for Warren, Sussex, Western Passaic and Morris Counties through 7 p.m., as well as a wind advisory for Cape May County.

"Plan on slippery road conditions," the National Weather said in its advisory. "The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute."

"While forecast snowfall totals may appear less than impressive, high snowfall rates possibly over 1 (inch) per hour may case [sic] travel disruptions during the Wednesday morning and/or Wednesday evening commutes," the National Weather Service said in a statement.

“This may lead to downed trees and power outages,” the agency said. Seafarers in the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay are also warned that gale-force winds and seas up to 7 to 11 feet could make navigation difficult Wednesday.

Meanwhile, officials issued a coastal flood advisory for Monmouth County, running from 10 p.m. Wednesday to 4 a.m. Thursday. Low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal waterways could flood up to a foot above ground level, while nearby roads become impassible.

Motorists on highways and interstates including Interstate 80 should expect a wintry drive rife with delays throughout Wednesday, AccuWeather reported. As of Wednesday morning, a slew of incidents have already been reported by the state department of transportation, affecting commuters from Newark to South Amboy to Cherry Hill.

"The potential for this storm to have a negative impact on travel is significant and from a flight standpoint alone is likely to be the most disruptive since a month earlier during the Christmastime Arctic cold and snow outbreak," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said.

The precipitation is expected to continue through the wee hours of Thursday morning, where possible thunderstorms could take place before 2 a.m., the National Weather Service said. The system is slated to move offshore by daybreak, with partly sunny skies and highs in the mid-40s expected Thursday.

Here’s the latest weather forecast, per the National Weather Service:

North Jersey

• Wednesday: A chance of snow before noon, then snow likely, possibly mixed with rain between noon and 1 p.m., then rain after 1 p.m. High near 40. Light and variable wind becoming east 10 to 15 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
• Wednesday night: Rain and possibly a thunderstorm before 2 a.m., then a chance of rain. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 39. Breezy, with an east wind 10 to 20 mph becoming southwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
• Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 43. Breezy, with a west wind 20 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph.
• Thursday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 27. West wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
• Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 41. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
• Friday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 29.

South Jersey

• Wednesday: A slight chance of rain and snow before 10 a.m., then rain. High near 49. Breezy, with an east wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. Little or no snow accumulation expected.
• Wednesday night: Rain and possibly a thunderstorm before 2 a.m., then a chance of rain and thunderstorms between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 41. Breezy, with a southeast wind 15 to 20 mph becoming west after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
• Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 47. Breezy, with a west wind 20 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph.
• Thursday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 30. West wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
• Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 43. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
• Friday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 30.