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New Jersey is bracing for a major winter storm expected to bring significant snowfall across the state from late Saturday night through Monday morning, with some areas potentially seeing up to 18 inches of accumulation.
The National Weather Service has issued winter storm watches for 16 New Jersey counties, with forecasters expressing unusually high confidence in the storm's severity. "Confidence continues to increase in a major winter storm impacting the region Saturday night through early Monday afternoon," the National Weather Service said in a statement reported by NJ.com. "Major impacts from accumulating snow are likely areawide."
Most of the state faces a 70-90% probability of receiving more than 10 inches of snow, with northern and central counties having up to an 80% chance of accumulations exceeding 12 inches. Coastal areas may see slightly lower totals due to mixing with sleet and freezing rain, but significant impacts are still expected throughout the region.
The storm will develop over Texas on Saturday before moving northeast, with snow beginning to spread across New Jersey from southwest to northeast late Saturday night. By Sunday morning, steady to heavy snow is expected statewide, with some areas potentially experiencing accumulation rates of an inch per hour or more.
Before the storm arrives, New Jersey will experience bitter cold temperatures. A Cold Weather Advisory has been issued for Friday night through Saturday morning as temperatures plunge into the single digits. With winds gusting up to 20 mph, wind chills could reach as low as -10 degrees. Saturday's high temperatures will only reach the upper teens, creating dangerous conditions even before the snow begins.
The storm's timing will likely cause significant disruptions to start the workweek. "Be prepared for travel to remain very difficult Monday morning and expect school, business, and government office closures on Monday, too," NBC New York warned.
Meteorologists note this could be New Jersey's most impactful winter storm since the Blizzard of 2016, which brought 30 inches of snow to parts of the state.
After the storm departs Monday, high pressure will build into the region with continued cold temperatures making snow removal challenging. Temperatures are expected to remain below freezing statewide through Wednesday, with overnight lows in the single digits and wind chills potentially falling below zero.
iHeartRadio stations across New Jersey will be providing up to the minute information on the storm. In South Jersey, tune to 95.1 WAYV, 99.3 The Buzz, 100.7 WZXL, or 96.1 WTTH. In Central Jersey, tune to 710 WOR, Z100, 790 WAEB, or B104. In North Jersey, tune to 102.3 WSUS, 103.7 NNJ, or 106.3 The Bear.