Winter Storm Warning In 6 Counties As All NJ Faces Ice Nightmare – Montclair, NJ Patch

A winter storm warning was issued for what could be the worst storm of the winter to hit New Jersey so far. Nearly all of the state could be encased in ice after snow and rain start falling Saturday, and a flash-freeze hits on Sunday.

Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency, saying he’s sending out hundreds of plows and salt-spreaders to help keep the roads clear during the weekend storm. Read more: Gov. Murphy Declares State Of Emergency For Weekend Snowstorm

Even if you’re not getting snow, you’ll get a lot of rain that’s expected to freeze over once temperatures drop into the teens later Sunday. All New Jersey could be subject to power outages, downed polls and traffic accidents because of high winds and ice.

We will keep track of snow total predictions and amounts here: New Jersey Snow Totals, Town-By-Town, For Saturday and Sunday.

“The latest forecasts continue to indicate that New Jersey will receive significant snow this weekend,” said Murphy. “We are closely monitoring the approaching snow storm and are prepared to keep New Jerseyans safe. Residents are urged to stay off the roads to the extent possible and always use their best judgment when traveling.”

The winter storm warning, which starts at 1 p.m. Saturday and ends at 4 p.m. Sunday, was issued for Sussex, Morris, Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Warren counties. Hudson, Union, Hunterdon, Middlesex and Somerset counties are under a winter weather advisory.

A hazardous weather outlook was issued for the rest of New Jersey, including the Jersey Shore, Central Jersey and South Jersey, where precipitation in this area will fall mainly as rain. There could be a brief period of snow at the onset of Saturday evening.

Heavy rain will then follow by overnight Saturday night into Sunday morning, leading to flooding and ice in those areas.

“Troopers throughout the state are ready to assist residents and commuters both on and off of the highways for the duration of the storm should the need arise,”said Col. Patrick Callahan of the New Jersey State Police. “But we cannot do it alone. Please use caution when traveling and prepare an emergency kit for use at home and on the roadways.”

Here are the alerted areas:

The storm could pack up to 11 inches of snow in some areas, heavy rain, 35-mph winds and possible prolonged power outages. The strong winds and ice could knock down utility poles and wires, forecasters say (see impacts below)

.The National Weather Service says the storm is supposed to dump snow beginning mid-day Saturday, then get worse by 7 p.m. Most of the snow is expected to fall Saturday night.

Much of the rain will come Sunday morning, mixing with snow mostly north of I-195. The wet weather will stress New Jersey’s power capacity and create a mess on the roads throughout the state.

The worst will happen on Sunday afternoon and evening, when temperatures drop to about 10 degrees. All that snow and rain will flash-freeze, forecasters say, and commuting will be a nightmare during the Martin Luther King Day holiday on Monday.

Here are the predicted snow totals:

Here are the hazards that the Saurday storm and Sunday flash-freeze could present to New Jerseyans:

• Temperatures plummet into the teens and 20s late Sunday, presenting potential for a flash freeze of wet or slushy surfaces late Sunday afternoon into Sunday night.
• On Sunday night, single-digit temperatures are expected.
• Wind chills of-8 to -18 are expected lat Sunday and early Monday.
• Black ice on surface will make for hazardous travel conditions Sunday night into Monday morning
• Hypothermia and frostbite possible with prolonged exposure
• Plows are not likely to be able to keep up, according to AccuWeather. As the storm strengthens, winds will cause major blowing and drifting of snow, where ice does not mix in.
• As the storm strengthens it will cause winds to increase, according to AccuWeather. Winds may become strong enough to cause tree limbs to break and trigger power outages.
• A widespread power outage situation is most likely where snow and ice have been clinging to the trees as winds pick up. In some cases this may not be until precipitation from the storm has ended, according to AccuWeather.
• Gusts between 35 and 50 mph can occur as the storm strengthens and then moves away, according to AccuWeather.
• Motorists are encouraged to not underestimate the severity of conditions that may unfold in these areas, according to AccuWeather. Vehicles may become stranded and occupants would be subject to plummeting temperatures, which are expected to reach dangerously low levels.

Here is the forecast:

• Saturday: Rain possible before 2pm, then rain and snow between 2pm and 4pm, then snow (or rain in the south) after 4pm. High near 34. North wind 5 to 13 mph becoming east in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
• Saturday night: Snow (or rain in the south) before 11pm, then rain. The rain and snow could be heavy at times. Low around 32. East wind 11 to 16 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.
• Sunday: Rain, freezing rain, and sleet (snow in the north) before 10am, then snow, freezing rain, and sleet between 10am and 11am, then snow after 11am. High near 33. North wind around 16 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New ice accumulation of less than a 0.1 of an inch possible. New snow and sleet accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
• Sunday night: A chance of snow before 7pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 6. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
• M.L.King Day: Sunny, with a high near 15.
• Monday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 7.

Tom Davis photos