What we know, don’t know about Wednesday’s coastal storm

    Forecasters expect a coastal storm to impact holiday travel in New Jersey on Wednesday, but there are many details that are still unknown.

    Snow, rain, or mix? What about accumulations? How much of an impact on my travel plans will this be? Dreaming of a white Thanksgiving?

    Below, we break down what we know and don’t know based on a Sunday afternoon forecast briefing from the National Weather Service office in Mount Holly, NJ. We cut through the widespread social media hype to give you the facts direct from the meteorologists that forecast for our area. 

    Since we cover the Jersey Shore, this report is specific to that region. 

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    What we know

    A coastal storm will impact New Jersey this Wednesday. 
    The storm is expected to develop over the eastern Gulf of Mexico Tuesday night and intensify as it tracks off New Jersey Wednesday evening.
    Rain will begin to impact the region on Wednesday morning. A breeze will increase Wednesday, with the highest gusts up to around 30 miles per hour possible at the coast. 
    Precipitation — mainly expected to be rain at the Jersey Shore — is forecast to overspread the area from the south on Wednesday morning.
    During Wednesday evening, as temperatures drop, the rain-snow line is expected to move southeastward, with rain changing to snow along the I-95 corridor.
    All precipitation is expected to end early on Thanksgiving morning, giving way to a pleasant — but chilly — day. High temperatures are expected to be in the lower to middle 40s. 

    What we don’t know

    The $64,000 question: specific precipitation types at the shore and amounts.
    While the National Weather Service has issued a “first call” snowfall map that depicts minimal snow at the shore (under an inch at the coast and one to two inches inland), the map is subject to change as new forecast guidance becomes available. 

    The biggest culprit potentially keeping snow at bay for wintry weather lovers at the shore? Mild ocean temperatures.

    As of now, if you’re looking for snow, head to the Poconos, where the current forecast calls for six to eight inches of the white stuff. 

    Stay tuned as new information becomes available on this dynamic situation. 

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