Storm taking aim at northern half of NJ; heavier snow during afternoon, evening

Light snow has been moving across the northern half of New Jersey this morning — according to Jersey Shore Hurricane News contributors — but heavier precipitation is expected during the afternoon and evening hours, a forecaster said Saturday morning. 

“Light to moderate snow continuing over the next few hours in banding over NJ, NYC. Light accumulations expected,” tweeted New York Metro Weather, a professional forecasting outlet. “Heavier snow is expected to begin during the afternoon hours, moving from southwest to northeast through the area.”

The forecasting theory remains the same: much of the wintry action will remain in the northern half of the state, according to New York Metro Weather meteorologist John Homenuk. 

Warmer air will pump off the ocean into South Jersey around 4:00 p.m., resulting in plain rain (“if they have not already,” Homenuk notes), while the northern half will maintain snow, “gradually increasing in intensity as the storm approaches,” according to the forecaster. 

After 4:00 p.m., more moderate snow will begin falling, but the heavier precipitation does not look likely until around 7:00 p.m., Homenuk said, when coastal areas in Monmouth County may see a changeover to rain after only about an inch or two of snow, with isolated spots seeing three inches. But western portions of Monmouth ounty and adjacent areas to the north and west “should maintain moderate snow” around 7:00 p.m., while “close to a changeover to rain.”

Snowfall will continue through the evening hours in much of the northern half of the state and may be heavy at times, although most areas will eventually changeover to sleet, freezing rain, and freezing drizzle, with the higher elevations last, Homenuk said. The highest snowfall totals will be in the northwestern areas. 

The storm clears out by Sunday morning.