NJ Weather: Significant Ice Storm Expected, Warning Issued In NJ

UPDATE: Gov. Phil Murphy has issued an update on the storm. Here are the latest details. Read more: Gov. Murphy: 'Tough' NJ Ice Storm Coming As Latest Details Released

NEW JERSEY – An ice storm warning and winter weather advisory were issued across New Jersey for a prolonged wintry mess that's expected to hit the Garden State on Monday and last well past the Tuesday commute. Road restrictions were already in place.

The National Weather Service has issued an ice storm warning in six New Jersey counties, saying "significant icing" is expected in North Jersey that could make a mess of roads, knock down wires and tree limbs and cause power outages.

A winter weather advisory was issued in 12 counties, saying freezing rain is expected in Central and South Jersey and the Jersey Shore. Total ice accumulations of one-tenth to two-tenths of an inch are expected. Power outages and downed wires could happen in these areas, too.

Here are the impacted areas:

Here's what else you should expect in areas impacted by the ice storm warning:

• WHAT...Significant icing is expected. Total ice accumulations of two tenths to three-tenths of an inch with up to one inch of snow and sleet.
• * WHERE...Portions of northern New Jersey and east-central and southeast Pennsylvania.
• * WHEN...From 6 p.m. Monday to 10 a.m. on Tuesday.
• * IMPACTS...Power outages and tree damage are likely due to the ice. Travel could be extremely difficult. The hazardous conditions will impact the morning commute on Tuesday.
• PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...Travel is strongly discouraged. If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency.
• Prepare for possible power outages.

The Nation Weather Service did move back some of its predicted ice amounts:

New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti has issued a commercial vehicle travel restriction on multiple Interstate highways in New Jersey starting at 8 a.m., Monday based on the forecast for freezing rain and sleet.

The commercial vehicle travel restriction will be in place for the entire length of the following highways in both directions:

• I-78, from the Pennsylvania border to I-95 (New Jersey Turnpike)
• I-80, from the Pennsylvania border to I-95 (New Jersey Turnpike)
• I-280, from I-80 to I-95 (New Jersey Turnpike)
• I-287, from NJ Route 440 to the New York State border
• NJ Route 440, from the Outerbridge Crossing to I-287

The commercial vehicle travel restriction applies to:

• All tractor trailers (exceptions as listed in the Administrative Order)
• Empty straight CDL-weighted trucks
• Passenger vehicles pulling trailers
• Recreational vehicles
• Motorcycles

This restriction DOES NOT apply to:

• The New Jersey Turnpike
• The Garden State Parkway
• The Atlantic City Expressway
• I-76
• I-195
• I-295
• I-676

Public safety vehicles, sworn and civilian public safety personnel; as well as other personnel directly supporting healthcare facilities or critical infrastructures such as providing fuel or food.

For a complete list of operations or personnel that are exempt from the travel ban, see the Administrative Order.

Trucks that are already in New Jersey when the travel restrictions go into place are encouraged to pull off in truck stops to wait out the storm.

NJDOT is coordinating with all state and regional transportation agencies to ensure the most effective response to the storm. In order for NJDOT and our regional and local transportation partners to safely and efficiently clear roadways of ice, motorists should avoid driving unless you are an essential employee needed for emergency response.

AccuWeather said repetitive doses of wintry weather are expected to continue into the upcoming week with at least one more storm following this weekend.

Through Monday and Tuesday, the storm will encompass and persist across the Northeast, where even a thin glaze of ice could make untreated roads treacherous and lead to another round of power outages, according to AccuWeather.

Should the layer of cold air be deeper as the secondary storm develops along the coast, then snow may fall farther to the south in the Northeast states. Precipitation could change from ice or rain to snow along part of I-95 on Tuesday in that case, according to AccuWeather.

Here is a timeline for the winter weather is expected later in the week:

Here is the forecast:

• Sunday night: A slight chance of freezing rain and sleet between 3am and 4am, then a slight chance of freezing rain after 4am. Cloudy, with a low around 28. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
• President's Day: A chance of sleet before 3 p.m., then a chance of freezing rain. Cloudy, with a high near 33. Northeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. Little or no sleet accumulation expected.
• Monday night: Freezing rain and sleet before 11 p.m., then freezing rain between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m., then rain after 4 a.m. Low around 31. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New ice accumulation of 0.1 to 0.3 of an inch possible. Little or no sleet accumulation expected.
• Tuesday: Rain, mainly before 10 a.m. High near 40. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.