Latest update on this weekend’s wintry chill and pair of snow chances for NJ

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For the latest winter storm forecast information, please refer to my newest weather blog post.

It's cold. And it is going to stay cold for quite a while. Friday will be a sunny, breezy, dry winter day. Temperatures will only rise from the 20s in the morning to the lower 30s in the afternoon, with wind chills stuck in the teens and 20s all day. We are still watching a pair of storm systems for this weekend, one for Saturday and one for Sunday. Each looks to produce a chance for accumulating snow in New Jersey. However, those accumulations look to stay on the light side with limited geography each time — an inch or two mainly in North Jersey on Saturday, and then maybe an inch or two exclusively to the south and east on Sunday. Enough to cause some travel headaches, but not enough to ring major alarm bells. Our weather trends even colder next week. Brrr.

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Friday NJ weather: Just plain cold

"Bundle up" weather has returned to New Jersey. Actually, Friday morning's temperatures are seasonable, fairly typical for mid-January. We are starting the day in the teens and 20s. The problem is the wind, still gusting over 20 mph occasionally. That adds a big bite to the cold air, putting the wind chill (the "feels like" or "apparent" temperature) in the teens or even single digits.

High temperatures Friday afternoon will only make it to about the freezing mark. Wind chills will do no better than the 20s. It will be mostly sunny at least, with dry weather all day. The air is very dry too.

Clouds will increase Friday night. And we will start to taste a mini warmup heading into Saturday. That means temperatures will only drop a few degrees overnight, to around 30 degrees.

Snow showers may develop by daybreak Saturday, especially to the north and west.

Saturday NJ weather: Snow showers, mainly north

For the first time ever, I am using one map to depict forecast snowfall from two different storms. A truly historic occasion!

But these storms are completely distinct and separate. And more importantly, affecting totally different corners of the state in totally different ways.

On Saturday, a period of snow will be centered on the first half of the day, mainly affecting the northern half of the state. Southwest of the NJ Turnpike corridor, as temperatures warm above the freezing mark, precipitation may mix with or transition to plain rain for a time.

Snowfall intensity will only be light to occasionally moderate. And this storm will be battling dry air and above-freezing air temperatures. So accumulations will be limited — but not zero.

I think 1 to 2 inches of snow will end up on the ground for northern areas of New Jersey on Saturday, especially on grassy and colder surfaces. Treated, paved surfaces should fare pretty well, given the slow speed of accumulation. Watch for slippery spots and pockets of low visibility, especially the farther north in New Jersey you are.

Otherwise, Saturday will be mostly cloudy and not as cold as Friday. High temperatures should average lower 40s across the Garden State.

Sunday NJ weather: More light snow, mainly southeast

While Saturday's storm will be a clipper system coming in from the west, Sunday's system will be a coastal storm sliding up the coastline. This one is a bit more precarious and a bit more sensitive to the exact track. And therefore a bit more uncertain in terms of exactly how much snow will fall and when.

Most of this coastal storm system will stay off-shore. But I do think southern and eastern New Jersey will get clipped by some snow bands, with a real potential for a coating to 2 inches of accumulation there during the daytime hours on Sunday. I have to put a "plus" on the forecast there, because a little "wiggle" in the storm track could easily ramp up those totals closer to 3 or 4 inches.

This one will potentially be an all-day event, although the steadiest snow chance is centered on the midday hours.

Farther inland and farther north, do not expect much if anything at all Sunday. It will be cloudy. And temperatures will turn colder again, with highs only in the lower 30s or so.

Monday NJ weather: Cold air is here to stay

Next week trends cold. Monday will stay in the 30s.

And then Tuesday could approach dangerous cold territory, as our next blast of arctic air arrives. We're talking about morning lows around 10 degrees, afternoon highs near 20 degrees, and wind chills potentially near zero.

Some model guidance is hinting at more active weather heading into the final third of January, meaning snow chances will pick up. I think this will take the form of frequent opportunities for minor snow events, just like the ones this weekend — not necessarily blockbuster storms. Obviously, we will stay ahead of whatever develops, and will let you know.

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