Snow and ice overnight, snow and rain for Saturday

A coastal storm system will bring a variety of wintry weather impacts to New Jersey Friday night and Saturday, ranging from snow to ice to rain.

UPDATE as of 3 PM FRIDAY...

Forecast snow accumulation map from this morning looks great given the afternoon computer models, and I have no major revisions to make to this forecast. A few tweaks and notes:

• First few flakes and drops could occur in far South Jersey a bit earlier than expected - say around 6 PM. Still nothing heavy until later tonight - after about 10 PM.
• Heaviest part of the storm will be overnight, in the 2 AM to 8 AM time frame. I would not want to be on the roads in those pre-dawn hours as it will be icy and snowy in many spots, and visibility will be very low in the heavier snow bands.
• Transition from snow to mix to rain may occur earlier than expected in South Jersey (early morning instead of late morning). This would lead to more icy/slushy road conditions in the morning rather than straight snow.
• Sweet spot for snow and ice accumulation still looks to be along and north/west of the NJ Turnpike. 2 to 4 inches widespread, with a few isolated higher amounts possible.
• I wouldn't be surprised if, as temperatures drop Saturday evening, we see a brief period of rain changing back to snow at the very end of this system. This could lend to some re-accumulation of snow.

I'll be online and on-the-air bright and early with updates on conditions and forecasts. Be safe and be smart!

Original post from this morning...

Here are your weather headlines for Friday, January 23, 2015...

Coastal Storm to Bring Snow, Ice, and Rain

While the daytime hours on Friday will remain quiet and mild with many breaks of sunshine, a coastal storm system will bring wintry and/or wet weather to New Jersey from late Friday night through all day Saturday. Here is the rundown of what to expect:

It's a tricky forecast and an even trickier weather situation due to the wide variety of weather impacts, from snow to ice to rain. The heaviest snow accumulations will be north and west of the NJ Turnpike and I-195, with most spots picking up 2 to 4 inches of fresh snow. A few isolated spots could land as much as 6 inches of snow. The initial transition to freezing rain could add a layer of ice on top of the snow. The ultimate transition to rain could cause some of the snow to melt or turn into a slushy mess.

While this is not a "gotta get the bread and milk" winter storm, travel all day on Saturday will be potentially hazardous. Roads will run the gamut from snowy to icy to slushy to wet from north to south across the state.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for all 21 counties in New Jersey, from this evening through Saturday morning or early afternoon (depending on which county you live in). Beyond the morning and early afternoon, the changeover to rain will put an end to snow accumulation.

Even though this winter storm is hitting over the weekend, we will be all over it online and on-air. Stay tuned for the very latest as the storm approaches, during the heaviest snow and rain, and beyond.

More Snow Monday

If you need confirmation that we've transitioned into a more active weather pattern, here you go! This will be the third winter storm to impact New Jersey in a week. Earlier in the week, this system was looking a bit more impressive and ominous. It does appear that temperatures will be colder for Monday's storm, so it does look to be all snow. Unfortunately, the timing for this system places it squarely on top of New Jersey just in time for the Monday morning commute. The current forecast would be for light snow for most of the day on Monday, which could slowly accumulate a few inches by the end of the day. Still lots of time for this forecast to evolve, so stay tuned for the latest.

Very Cold Next Week

Another early heads-up for next week... Following Monday's snow, temperatures will plummet by Tuesday. Highs on Tuesday and Wednesday will be no higher than the 20s... and even that might be too warm of a forecast. Yikes! Dig out the scarves, heavy gloves, and extra blankets!

Again, we'll have updates on the impending cold snap through the weekend and early next week.