Think warm thoughts, NJ: Very cold with snow showers Friday

Bundle up, New Jersey! The coldest air of the season so far has arrived! Temperatures Friday morning are close to 20 degrees. And Friday afternoon, thermometers will barely pass the freezing mark. While North Jersey could see some hints of sun throughout the day, clouds will plague South Jersey making it feel even colder. Additionally, snow showers are possible throughout the day for the southern half of the state, with light accumulations possible (on the order of "a healthy coating"). The weekend will be chilly, but not quite as cold, as temps recover to about 40 degrees. We will hold on to substantial cloud cover and each day will feature a flurry/sprinkle chance. Another arctic blast rolls in for Monday - that will be a cold and windy day, making for a biting and blustery start to next week.

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Friday NJ weather: Cold with snow showers

Welcome to winter. At least it sure does feel like it.

Friday is a one day arctic blast that would be considered unseasonably frigid even in the "dead of winter" of late January or early February.

We are starting the day with temperatures in the teens and 20s. Even some single digits temps in the northwest hills. Brrr.

And highs will only reach the lower 30s Friday afternoon. That means part of NJ will be stuck below freezing all day. Also brrr.

A storm system is also passing just south of New Jersey Friday, which will affect our weather. While the northern half of the could see limited filtered sunshine at times, southern New Jersey will be quite cloudy.

In addition, waves of light snow will push through southern New Jersey throughout the day. Given the cold temperatures, there is a good chance these snowflakes stick and accumulate a little bit to non-paved surfaces. So "a healthy coating" up to an inch is possible in spots, especially south of the Atlantic City Expressway. I will say snow showers are possible as far north as about Interstate 195, and as late as dinnertime. Overall, traffic impacts (slippery roads and reduced visibility) should be minor.

Temperatures actually will not nosedive Friday night, only falling back a few degrees to 30-ish overnight. It will be cloudy, calm, and dry.

Saturday NJ weather: About 10 degrees warmer

The weekend will feature improvements, including a slight warmup. But I can not call it "pleasant" exactly.

Skies will be mostly cloudy and murky to kick off the weekend. And there could be some flurries and sprinkles around. (Some model guidance even shows an outright snow shower putting a dusting on the ground in spots.)

High temperatures will improve to around 40 degrees on Saturday. Almost 10 degrees warmer than Friday. But still 10 degrees below normal for this time of year.

Sunday NJ weather: Clouds, sun, and 40s

Comparatively, Sunday will probably be the brighter, nicer day of the weekend.

Expect a mix of clouds and sun, and high temperatures in the lower 40s. Winds stay light and weather stays mostly dry.

I do have to include a "just in case" chance of a shower in the forecast for Sunday late afternoon and evening. Just like Saturday, in a perfect situation, a snow shower could produce a dusting of accumulation somewhere in the state. Nothing to write home about, but 'tis the season.

Monday NJ weather: Cold *and* windy

I hate to say it, but Monday will be even more ridiculous than Friday. Not only is the forecast trending a couple degrees colder, but it is going to be windy too. That extra bite and bluster is not going to be fun.

Highs near 30. Wind chills in the teens. A brief period of 30 mph gusts. At least skies will be partly sunny, and we will not have to worry about snow showers this time around.

A warming trend will take over through the middle of next week, with 30s on Tuesday and then 40s for Wednesday and Thursday. Models are showing sporadic showers along the way. And then a storm system signal at the end of next week, around Friday-Saturday, could pose our next opportunity for accumulating snow. Worth watching — as always, we will keep you posted.

Stay warm and be safe out there!

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