Light snow likely at the Shore tomorrow

A storm system will clip the Jersey Shore during the early morning hours Friday and likely deliver a few inches of snow, forecasters say. 

A low pressure system will strengthen as it moves northeast along a stalled frontal boundary tonight and remain far enough east to keep heavy precipitation and strong winds offshore, according to the National Weather Service. 

But the western edge of the system will impact Shore counties, with precipitation likely as far west of the N.J. Turnpike. 

The National Weather Service says the precipitation will likely start as rain tonight, changing over to a mix then snow overnight as high pressure builds in from the west and brings colder air into the region.

As of this morning, the forecasters say uncertainty remains regarding how much precipitation will fall as either rain or snow as well as accumulations due to “marginal” temperatures near the surface. 

The wild card, the forecasters say, is how quickly cooling can occur overnight. The latest forecast model guidance has increased precipitation amounts and decreased temperatures. 

The current National Weather Service forecast is for one to two inches of snow, with potentially up to two to three inches locally, ending before 8 a.m.

But some locations could see double “if the effects from dynamical cooling wind up being even greater and precipitation transitions to snow much more rapidly than indicated” by the overnight model guidance.

But whatever falls won’t stick around too long.

Skies will gradually clear throughout Friday, featuring temperatures in the lower 40s. Mostly sunny skies will prevail over the weekend, and temperatures will be in the middle to upper 40s.