Snow Tuesday morning, then a brief significant warm-up begins; flooding possible

Yet another winter storm will impact the area Tuesday morning, but its intensity will pale in comparison to the nor’easter that dumped more than a foot of snow in some locations this week, forecasters say. 

Snowfall accumulations will range from two to four inches around and north of the I-78 corridor, with progressively smaller amounts toward the coast, where less than an inch of snow is expected, according to a forecast issued by the National Weather Service Sunday. 

Then on Wednesday, many locations will flirt with 50 degrees, with relatively mild temperatures lasting through next weekend. But with a healthy snowpack throughout the region, flooding will be a threat once temperatures rise well above freezing.

“Warmer temperatures will sound good to many, but for those in snowy locations, be prepared for significant snow melt,” tweeted Gary Szatkowski, head meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Mount Holly, NJ. “If we melt the snowpack too fast, freshwater flooding becomes more likely.”

Rain is in the forecast for later in the week, adding to the flooding threat in areas with ice and snow clogged drains, Szatkowski tweeted. 

“Bottom line is to watch the forecast closely as we go through the week. We want to get rid of this snowpack slowly,” he added. 

But winter-like weather likely returns around February 24 into early March, with a 50 to 60 percent chance of below average temperatures during that period, according to the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center. 

For the snowfall forecast covering most of New Jersey, click here. The forecast for northeast New Jersey is available here.