The winter storm expected to drop at least another 6 to 8 inches of snow in much of New Jersey will begin early Thursday morning and may last until Friday afternoon, according to the latest forecasts.
Light snow can start at 4 or 5 am, with more constant snow falling at 7 or 8 am, according to Jim Sullivan, chief meteorologist at WeatherWorks, a private forecasting firm based in Hackettstown. Snow is expected to be falling heavily in South Jersey around 8 am or 9 am, while in North Jersey, moderate to heavy snow is expected to accumulate at the latest at 10 am or 11 am, Sullivan said.
- MOST: NJ climate: how much snow will you have during Thursday’s winter storm? Click on our new exclusive map to check your city.
The National Weather Service forecast issued in its morning forecast discussion coincides with Sullivan, as the NWS says the precipitation will begin “before dawn”.
The National Weather Service is demanding up to 20 inches of snow from a storm that started Thursday and continues through Friday. Here are the latest news about the weather.
Although the storm will spread across the state from southwest to northeast, Sullivan said the snow may start in North Jersey first.
“It can be kind of weird – it can fill the northern half a little earlier than the southern half. It’s not really a uniform (snow) shield, ”said Sullivan.
Snow totals in Southern Jersey are expected to be less – about 7 to 10 centimeters compared to 6 to 8 in northern and central Jersey, according to the National Weather Service.
That’s because snow in South Jersey and along the Jersey Shore can change to mixed precipitation very quickly, with higher temperatures forecasted.
“Some mixes can start in the late morning, and in the interior parts of South Jersey there may be hail around noon,” said Sullivan. “Down there, you can only have a few hours of heavy snow before mixed precipitation starts.”
NJ snow totals.National Meteorological Service
Mixed precipitation will start from mid to late afternoon further north, with the strongest precipitation decreasing in intensity from 4 pm to 7 pm, from south to north.
The storm, however, will still be far from over – with precipitation not easing until somewhere between 9:00 am and noon on Friday and persistent light rains or snow showers possible in the afternoon.
“It won’t stop, but it will be much lighter tomorrow,” said Sullivan. “The end time is not yet clear.”
AccuWeather is requiring greater amounts of up to 30 inches of snow in the northern half of the state, along with a narrow 3 to 6 inch strip along I-195 and 1 to 3 inches to South Jersey.
AccuWeather’s forecast for the winter storm that is due to start on Thursday is 6 to 12 inches for the northern half of New Jersey.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm alert for 17 New Jersey counties before a storm. They are likely to be updated for winter storm warnings as the system approaches the state and the forecast becomes more refined.
Only the Ocean, the Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and the coastal areas of Monmouth County are not under winter storm surveillance.
Jeff Goldman can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JGoldmanNJ.
Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com