From cold to colder: Two shots of fresh arctic air blow into NJ this week

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Up to 5 inches of snow fell over parts of New Jersey on Saturday and 4.5 inches on Sunday. Needless to say, it was quite a wintry weekend. And now as we shovel out, the weather story becomes a different kind of wintry weather: Extremeold. Monday will be mostly sunny and breezy, with teens and 20s in the morning and then highs around the freezing mark in the 30s in the afternoon. A reinforcing shot of arctic air arrives Monday night, bringing the coldest temperatures since last January. Thermometers will drop to the teens overnight, with wind chills near zero - that is the threshold for "dangerous cold". A Cold Weather Advisory has been issued for part of the state. We'll be stuck below freezing Tuesday, with highs in the 20s and wind chills in the teens. The forecast shows even colder air arrives next weekend, with another chance of snow potentially in play too.

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Monday NJ weather: Sunny but cold

The day after a snow storm is almost always cold. So it makes sense that the day after a double dose of snow is cold too.

Monday morning is starting calm, with temperatures in the teens and 20s across New Jersey. While snow stopped falling from the sky many hours ago, there are still numerous icy spots and secondary roads left to be cleared around the state. Watch your step, watch your drive, and pack your patience.

High temperatures on Monday will only reach about the freezing mark, in the lower 30s. It will be mostly sunny and breezy. That means we have to talk about the dreaded wind chill, the "feels like" or "apparent" temperature, which will go no higher than the 20s. A flurry or brief snow shower can't be ruled out, especially around NW NJ.

Monday night, a brand new reinforcing shot of arctic air is set to arrive. It will be especially cold and dry. As a strong wind kicks up, temperatures will nosedive deep into the teens overnight. The wind chill will end up in the single digits overnight, if not close to zero.

Tuesday NJ weather: Bordering on dangerous cold

Keep in mind, the wind chill is not just the "feels like" temperature. More importantly, it is an indicator of human health effects of cold weather and wind. It demonstrates in a single understandable number how quickly body heat is carried away from humans (and animals too). When the wind chill is zero or below, we call it "dangerous" cold — not a phrase that I use lightly, by the way.

And that is exactly what is happening Monday night, Tuesday morning, Tuesday night, and Wednesday morning. That wind chill around zero is no joking matter — you have to bundle up warmly and limit your exposure to the elements to prevent illness or injury.

This kind of extreme cold is very hard on infrastructure and utilities too, by the way. Power outages and car breakdowns can be very dangerous in such conditions.

Tuesday's high temperature will only reach the mid 20s for a high temperature — below freezing all day. Wind chills will be no better than the teens all day. It will be a sunny, blustery, frigid winter day.

Wednesday NJ weather: Better, maybe a snow shower

We will get a little midweek warmup, helping with some snowmelt.

Wednesday will feature more sunshine, with some late-day clouds. And lighter winds too. There will be a chance of a quick snow shower at night, with little to no accumulation expected.

High temperatures will bump into the mid 30s. Still below normal for this time of year. But again, better than sitting in the deep freeze for another day.

Thursday NJ weather: From mild to frigid

Thursday will be the one and only mild day of the week, as highs climb into the mid 40s. It should be a very efficient "snow melt day". And I think it is fair to call it pleasant, with partly sunny skies, light winds, and dry weather.

Clouds will increase on Friday, as highs descend into the 30s again. Not terrible. Yet.

And then we enter the deep freeze. An impressively strong and expansive mass of frigid air will move into New Jersey starting on Saturday, through at least early next week. I think we are looking at several days in a row with morning lows in the single digits and afternoon highs only around 20 — our coldest stretch of weather in years.

Forecast models have also hinted at an accumulating snow chance in the Saturday afternoon to Sunday time frame, as a potent storm system passes south of New Jersey. At this point, it falls squarely in the "worth watching" category.

However, I will say that it would be very difficult to get both extreme cold and a storm. A big dome of cold air — high pressure — would suppress and steer that storm farther south. Cold air is also dry air, making it much more difficult to get substantial snow. Not impossible, just more difficult.

Again, we will monitor all the possibilities and keep you updated. I expect to have a better handle on things once the weekend is fully in the 5 Day and on-air forecast around midweek (Wednesday).

Dan Zarrow is Chief Meteorologist for Townsquare Media New Jersey. Follow him on Facebook for the latest forecast and realtime weather updates.