Winter storm watches have been issued for most of New Jersey for a major snowstorm this weekend with increasing chances of snow totals topping 10 inches, forecasters say.
“Confidence continues to increase in a major winter storm impacting the region Saturday night through early Monday afternoon,” the National Weather Service said early Thursday. “Major impacts from accumulating snow are likely areawide.”
While the weather service has not issued a snowfall forecast map with specific amounts, the watches were issued because there’s now a more than 90% chance at least 5 to 6 inches of snow.
“Probabilities of exceeding 10 inches are 70-90%,” for most of New Jersey, the weather service said. “While this event remains a few days out, confidence is higher than usual for this range in significant impacts across the region.”
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A major winter storm is expected to hit New Jersey this weekend with increasing chances of 10 or more inches of snow, the weather service said. Winter storm watches have been issued starting at 7 p.m. Saturday for most of the state.AccuWeather.com and National Weather Service
The current track of the storm may bring more mixing of sleet and freezing rain to southern New Jersey.
“This may hinder snow totals some for these areas, but significant impacts are expected nonetheless,” the weather service said. “Depending on how soon, and to what extent, mixing occurs, amounts could exceed 10 inches for this area.”
The winter storm watch starts at 7 p.m. Saturday and extends through Monday afternoon for the 16 counties covered by the weather service’s office in New Jersey.
The New York weather service office, which provides forecasts for Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic and Union counties, said a winter storm watch was considered, but forecasters held off issuing it this morning “given the onset of the event is still around 72 hours out.”
A major winter storm is expected to hit New Jersey this weekend with increasing chances of 10 or more inches of snow, the weather service said. Winter storm watches have been issued starting at 7 p.m. Saturday for most of the state.AccuWeather.com and National Weather Service
Both weather service offices, however, urged residents to prepare for significant snow accumulations.
“Snow covered roads and reduced visibility WILL cause widespread travel disruptions,” the weather service said. “This has the potential to be a very impactful storm for much of the area.”
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AccuWeather’s forecast has New Jersey in the center of a wide zone of 6 to 12 inches of snow blanketing the region.
Snow is expected to begin overspreading the state from southwest to northeast Saturday night with an extremely cold air mass in place.
Snowfall rates may quickly become heavy Sunday with rapid accumulations possible, as a storm system tracks northeastward off the coast.
The storm is expected to linger into Monday morning, likely affecting school schedules to start the week.
Ahead of the storm
Thursday will be a relatively mild day with highs in the 40s under mostly sunny skies, though winds could gust up to 25 mph.
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Friday will continue the brief warmup with temperatures in the mid to upper 30s before an Arctic front arrives during the day.
Temperatures will plunge into the single digits by Friday night.
Saturday will remain bitterly cold with highs only reaching the upper teens to low 20s, making outdoor preparations for the storm quite uncomfortable.
Frozen forecast next week
After the storm system departs Monday, high pressure will build into the region with cold temperatures and breezy making any snow melt unlikely.
Temperatures are expected to remain below freezing across the entire state through Wednesday, with many locations only reaching the low to mid 20s during the day.
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Monday night and Tuesday night are of particular concern, with low temperatures in the single digits statewide and wind chills potentially falling below zero during nighttime hours.
With significant snow cover potentially in place, winds could cause blowing and drifting of snow, and temperatures could potentially be even colder than currently forecasted, the weather service said.
OAKLYN, N.J. (WPVI) — A Camden County auto shop owner says masked thieves stole three of their most expensive vehicles during an early morning break-in Saturday.
The incident happened just after 6:20 a.m. at Saifo Auto Sales in Oaklyn.
Surveillance video shows several masked suspects arriving in what appears to be a newer gray BMW, reversing into the lot, and using a bolt cutter to break into the building.
Owner Tarek Saifo said the suspects appeared to act with precision.
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“It didn’t seem like a coincidental theft; it seemed like someone who knew exactly where they were going. They knew what time to go,” said Saifo.
Saifo said three vehicles were taken: a 2020 BMW 4030, a white 2014 BMW 615, and a 2013 Infiniti M37. He said the thieves also took tools and a TV, but left behind the receiver that contained the shop’s surveillance footage.
Saifo says it will cost him about $34,000, and added that the suspects appeared to know where the vehicles’ keys were kept.
The business has only been operating for three months in Oaklyn. Previously, they were in Delran for four years. Saifo said its location along a busy highway may have made it an easy target.
“We got a security system installed, put bars on the windows and we’re just trying to make sure this never happens again,” he said.
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Saifo said the financial impact is significant, noting the business does not have theft insurance.
“It’s just hard as a small business trying to recover from this. It’s going to take us years if we ever will,” he said.
Chief Executive Officer, New York/New Jersey World Cup Host Committee
Alex Lasry will play a key role in shaping the World Cup experience for fans attending matches in the country’s largest market, including the final at MetLife Stadium. Since joining the organization early last year, Lasry and CBO Fred Mangione have aggressively pursued revenue through the sale of Host City Supporters packages while developing fan activations at Rockefeller Center and the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. New Jersey’s decision to scrap the official FIFA Fan Festival at Liberty State Park has forced last-minute changes that are still taking shape.
