Return Of The Polar Vortex: May Snow Possible In New Jersey

NEW JERSEY – Snow in New Jersey in May? Yup, it's possible.

Rain moves in Friday afternoon and sticks around into the night. There's a chance of some snowflakes in North and Central Jersey, but just a trace of accumulation if any, by early Saturday.

We can't tell you the most likely time of any white stuff since the National Weather Service does not have a snow section in its hourly forecast in May.

But the National Weather Service did offer what areas could get some – and the chances that snow will actually happen.

Here is the worst-case scenario:

The crazy pattern is being set into motion "by a break-off lobe of the polar vortex or a displacement of the same," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson says.

It will be more than 20 degrees warmer in Alaska than in New Jersey Saturday as record warmth surges up the West Coast.

Mother's Day Sunday on the island should be sunny with a high near 58. Dry and unseasonably cool conditions are then likely to continue through the middle of next week, the weather service says.

Here is the forecast:

• Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 67. West wind around 10 mph.
• Thursday night: A slight chance of showers between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. Southwest wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.
• Friday: Rain after 2pm. High near 57. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
• Friday night: Rain before 2am, then showers likely, mainly between 2am and 5am. Low around 36. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
• Saturday: A chance of showers, mainly before 8am. Partly sunny, with a high near 50. Breezy, with a west wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 peecent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.