Expect Snow Saturday In Bergen With 'Bomb Cyclone' Headed To NJ

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — The worst of a predicted "bomb cyclone" may miss Bergen County, though 1-2 inches of snow and slippery roads are still possible this weekend.

Bergen County could get 1-2 inches of snow and sleet on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. The NWS issued a winter weather advisory in western Bergen County for Saturday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Snow and wind will make driving difficult, and any wet surfaces will freeze during the day Saturday, according to the NWS.

The storm is expected to hit the state Friday night through Saturday night with rain accumulation and wind gusts up to 55 mph, according to the National Weather Service. Average rainfall should total one inch, although parts of New Jersey could see up to 2 inches of precipitation.

AccuWeather notes that the storm could undergo "bomb cyclone" status, meaning a low-pressure area that undergoes rapid, "explosive development" strengthening. The "bomb cyclone" effect is most often felt during strong winds, which is what AccuWeather forecasters say is in the cards.

Areas north of the I-95 corridor will likely see a dusting to an inch of snow, the National Weather Service said (but snow totals could reach up to 3 inches if temperatures remain chilly enough, per NJ.com). The northeastern portion of the state could see between 2 to 3 inches of snow, per the agency's New York station. South Jersey could see snow Saturday night, according to the Mount Holly office.

Here is the weekend forecast for Bergen County, courtesy of the National Weather Service.

Friday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 53. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 8 mph in the morning.

Friday night
A chance of drizzle before 1 a.m., then a chance of rain or drizzle between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m., then rain after 4 a.m.. Low around 40. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Saturday
Rain, snow, and sleet before 1 p.m., then snow and sleet between 1pm and 2 p.m., then snow after 2 p.m. Temperature falling to around 26 by 5 p.m. Wind chill values between 15 and 25. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 13 to 18 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 34 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New snow and sleet accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

Saturday night
A 30 percent chance of snow before 7 p.m. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 18. Wind chill values between 5 and 15. West wind around 18 mph, with gusts as high as 38 mph.

Sunday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 36. West wind 11 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.

Sunday night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 27.

Patch editor Nicole Rosenthal contributed to this report. Patch will update this article as the day progresses, if the NWS issues any watches or warnings.