NJ Weather: Winter Storm Watch In 12 NJ Counties, 50-MPH Winds

UPDATE: Gov. Phil Murphy said a "whopper" nor'easter may be New Jersey's worst storm in a "long time," packing 50-mph winds. Here's how bad it will get as the winter storm watch expands to 17 counties. Read more: Winter Storm Watch Expands To 17 NJ Counties For Nor'easter

NEW JERSEY – The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for 12 New Jersey counties, saying that more than a foot of snow could fall in parts of the Garden State as two systems are expected to hit the area. One of the systems is expected to produce 35 to 50-mph winds.

The first storm is expected to hit New Jersey beginning after 5 a.m. on Monday and could produce a few inches of snow – on and off – in the northern areas by 6 p.m.

But it's the second system that's supposed to wallop New Jersey in what could be the biggest snowstorm to hit the Garden State in a year.

Twelve inches or more of plowable snow may hit Middlesex County and north, while three to four inches are expected to fall in the suburban Philadelphia areas and the Jersey Shore. Much of the snow is expected to fall between 6 a.m. on Wednesday and 12 noon on Thursday.

The Jersey Shore is expected to get a mixture of rain and snow, but the region is also supposed to get 35 to 50-mph winds and flooding. Indeed, all areas of New Jersey could be impacted by these gale-force winds.

The winter storm watch, which will start at 7 a.m. on Wednesday and expire at 7 a.m. on Thursday, covers these areas:

Here is what to also expect from the two storms:

• The Monday storm should bring measurable snow to the Poconos and portions of the Lehigh Valley and northwest New Jersey.
• The Monday snow is expected to be light to moderate, and it's expected to come in two waves, with the majority of the precipitation arriving during the middle of the day.

• The Wednesday storm will likely bring significant snowfall to portions of the region, along with heavy rain for the southern areas, along with gusty coastal/marine winds and coastal flooding.
• For the Wednesday storm, the combination of gusty winds, significant snow, and high moisture content of the snow will have the potential to cause power outages and will likely impact at least the afternoon commute, the NWS says.

AccuWeather went so far as to say that the Wednesday storm could produce "blizzard" conditions, calling it the "next major winter storm for the United States" that will bring "a large swath of drenching rain, deep snow and perhaps even a thick glaze of ice for some."

Forecasters are becoming increasingly confident that the storm will intensify and produce a swath of particularly heavy snow that will clog roads and cause difficult travel, according to AccuWeather.

Here is the forecast:

• Sunday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 36. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
• Monday: Rain and snow before 5 p.m., then a chance of snow. High near 38. North wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New snow accumulation of less than a half-inch possible.
• Monday night: A chance of rain and snow, mainly before 7 p.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 27. Northwest wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New snow accumulation of less than a half-inch possible.
• Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 38. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
• Tuesday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 22. North wind around 5 mph.
• Wednesday: A chance of snow before 2 p.m., then rain and snow between 2 and 4 p.m., then snow after 4 p.m. High near 34. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
• Wednesday night: Snow. Low around 26. Blustery. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent.
• Thursday: Snow likely before 9 a.m., then a chance of snow showers between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 33. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.
• Thursday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 17.