NJ Weather: Snow Estimates Released In Winter Storm Forecast

NEW JERSEY – New Jersey can expect as many as 5 inches of snow as the biggest winter storm this season is on track to hit the Garden State this week. The state also could be dealing with 50-mph winds and snow squalls before that (see inch counts below).

The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook, saying accumulating snow is expected on Saturday after 2 p.m. The snow is forecast to change to a wintry mix on Saturday night. Some locations, mainly in the valleys, could go over to all rain at that time.

Snow showers and snow squalls, however, were expected to affect New Jersey through Thursday afternoon. Visibilities were to drop quickly to one mile or less where snowfall was heaviest, while winds were expected to gust to 40 to 50 mph at times.

The areas of greatest threat of heavy snow on Thursday afternoon was north of Interstate 78 and higher elevations, according to the NWS.

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Patch will be monitoring the snow totals as the winter weather hits. Check back for updates: New Jersey Snow Totals, Town-By-Town, For Thursday, Friday, Saturday.

A wind advisory was in effect until 7 p.m. on Thursday (story continues below graphic).

Here are the estimated snow totals for Saturday:

Here is the high-end prediction:

The large winter storm is lining up to bring widespread snow and ice across the northeastern United States this weekend, including areas that have not experienced much wintry precipitation thus far this season, according to AccuWeather.

Warm air from the south and the ocean will play a role in limiting or preventing snow and ice in parts of Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New York and New England during the storm, according to AccuWeather.

Slippery travel conditions are predicted for a time, even in the major I-95 mid-Atlantic cities, where rain may eventually wash away snow and slush, according to AccuWeather.

Forecasters say motorists should expect travel to deteriorate from west to east on Saturday across much of the mid-Atlantic and later Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening, according to AccuWeather.

Here is the forecast:

• Thursday afternoon: Isolated showers after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 50. Breezy, with a northwest wind around 25 mph, with gusts as high as 46 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.
• Thursday night: Scattered snow showers in North Jersey, with possible snow squalls. For the rest of New Jersey: partly cloudy, with a low around 22. Blustery, with a northwest wind 18 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 37 to 50 mph.
• Friday: Sunny, with a high near 31. Northwest wind 11 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 30 to 50 mph.
• Friday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 15. Northwest wind 3 to 8 mph.
• Saturday: A chance of snow before 1 p.m, then rain and/or snow. High near 40. Light and variable wind becoming south 8 to 13 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
• Saturday night: Rain, mainly before 4am. Low around 33. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
• Sunday: A chance of rain before 7 a.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 39. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.