Snow, Ice In NJ Forecast Following Winter Warm-Up

NEW JERSEY - February in the Garden State is set to continue fluctuating between sunny and frigid, snowy weather as another round of wintery mix is in the forecast later this week.

Two storm systems are being monitored by forecasters, with Tuesday promising rain showers and Thursday to bring a mix of snow, rain and sleet, per the National Weather Service.

Following a temperate Presidents Day, warm showers are set to be ushered into the state and last throughout Tuesday with temperatures hovering around 55 degrees, the agency said. Rainfall is expected to end around Wednesday morning before 7 a.m. and temperatures will rise into the upper 50s and low 60s. Winds between 10 to 20 mph are predicted, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

AccuWeather predicts rainfall totals around half an inch to an inch. The heaviest downpour should occur north and west of I-95, the National Weather Service said.

“Flooding issues are likely to result from other factors, including the rain and snowmelt that troubled the region last week,” AccuWeather wrote in a forecast briefing. Motorists are warned to avoid travel Tuesday night as heavy downpour can cause limited visibility and delays.

However, the spring-like weather isn’t expected to last for long as snow, rain and sleet will hit the state late Thursday into Friday morning. Northern and central New Jersey may likely see snow and a wintry mix (with accumulations up to 3 inches) while the southernmost tip of the state will most likely see just rainfall lingering into Friday evening.

A hazardous weather outlook has already been issued for Sussex County, with “snow and/or sleet accumulation [to] result in significant travel disruptions on Thursday.”

“Winter Weather headlines will likely be needed for most of the area north and west of I-95, but it is a little too far out to proceed just yet,” the National Weather Service said Tuesday morning.

Here is the latest forecast:

Tuesday: Isolated showers before noon, then rain likely, mainly after 4 p.m. Cloudy, with a high near 55. Breezy, with a south wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Tuesday Night: Periods of rain before midnight, then a chance of showers after 5 a.m. Low around 49. Breezy, with a south wind 15 to 20 mph decreasing to 10 to 15 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Wednesday: A chance of showers, mainly before 7 a.m. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 64. West wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31. North wind 10 to 15 mph.

Thursday: A chance of rain and snow before 4 p.m., then a chance of rain between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., then a chance of rain and sleet after 5 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 34. North wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northeast in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. Little or no snow and sleet accumulation expected.

Thursday Night: Sleet before 10 p.m., then rain. Low around 32. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Friday: Rain, mainly before 1 p.m. High near 45. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 22.