NJ Weather: ‘Significant’ Snow Possible This Week

NEW JERSEY - Prepare your shovels, New Jersey: more snow is in the forecast for later this week, according to the National Weather Service.

“The next system brings rain changing to snow Wednesday night into Thursday while a more significant storm could bring snow Friday night into Saturday,” the National Weather Service said Tuesday morning.

Tuesday is expected to see temperatures around the mid-30s with wind gusts of around 25 mph, while Wednesday may see slightly higher temperatures in the 40s. A wintry mix of rain and snow is in the forecast for Wednesday night as temperatures drop.

A rain to snow changeover “should occur during the overnight hours Wednesday night N/W of the I-95 corridor and by around sunrise across the urban corridor,” the National Weather Service said. “The snow may continue for a few hours into Thursday before ending as colder, drier air continues to move in on N/NW winds. The total precipitation with this system could be on the order of a quarter to half inch … but expect that a lot of this will occur before the changeover from rain to snow.”

Another storm on Friday night into Saturday could bring more snow, the National Weather Service said, but it largely remains too early tell how much the storm will hit offshore.

“We could be looking at a significant snowstorm for the Friday night / Saturday period," the agency said. "However, given the continuing model spread, forecast confidence remains fairly low … It should remain cold enough though for whatever occurs to be a mostly snow event unless a significant shift N/W were to occur with the track of the low which seems less likely at this time.”

UPDATE: As of 9:54 a.m. Tuesday, a snow band capable of producing a quick half inch to an inch of snow will impact portions of eastern Pennsylvania and central New Jersey. The Garden State counties affected include:

• Ocean
• Mercer
• Hunterdon
• Burlington
• Monmouth
• Somerset
• Middlesex
• Warren

"Temperatures are cold enough that snow is quickly accumulating on roads under the band of snow," the National Weather Service said. "Conditions can deteriorate rapidly in winter weather situations. Be prepared for snow or ice covered roads. Slow down and allow extra time when traveling."

Here’s the latest forecast:

Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 38. West wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 28. West wind around 5 mph becoming south after midnight.

Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 48. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph.

Wednesday Night: Rain and snow before 3 a.m., then rain between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m., then rain and snow after 4 a.m. Low around 34. Southwest wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.

Thursday: Snow, possibly mixed with rain, becoming all snow after 9 a.m. High near 37. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 15.

Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 27.

Friday Night: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 15. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent.