First Snow For Parts Of NJ In Wednesday Forecast

NEW JERSEY — Though parts of New Jersey could see its first snow on Wednesday, forecasters said any accumulation will be negligible in most places.

Less than a half-inch of snow is expected and the precipitation could easily turn to rain in South Jersey, the National Weather Service said Tuesday.

Snow flurries are most likely to fall in northern New Jersey, particularly the northwestern counties, according to AccuWeather. A coating to an inch of snow could accumulate on non-paved surfaces.

Any snow that falls in New Jersey is expected to stop by 4 p.m., the weather service said. Motorists and pedestrians may encounter slippery spots on their travels during the evening commute.

“Only if the storm strengthens significantly and slows down might the anticipated light to moderate snowfall evolve into a moderate to heavy snowfall event. In that highly unlikely case, temperatures would be several degrees lower due to the heavier rate of snow,” AccuWeather meteorologists said.

Regardless of the amount of snow that falls, the coldest air of the season will unfold across the region into Wednesday night, forecasters said.

Sunny skies are in the forecast on Tuesday, with afternoon highs in the low 40s. Evening temperatures will fall to the upper 20s and low 30s.

Following Wednesday’s weather event, sunshine will return on Thursday with highs of about 40, forecasters say.

Looking ahead, forecasters are monitoring a warming trend in the coming weeks which could bring record high temperatures for December.

A warm air mass is expected to spread over the region on Saturday, with temperatures pushing toward the low 70s. The warm conditions may diminish any chance for significant snow during this time, according to the weather service.

Here’s the latest forecast:

Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 42. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. Calm wind.

Wednesday: A chance of snow. Cloudy, with a high near 38. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Wednesday Night: Cloudy during the early evening, then gradual clearing, with a low around 27. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 39. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31.

Friday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 51.

Friday Night: A chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 42. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent.