N.J. weather: Winter storm warnings issued with heavy wind-driven snow, dangerous driving conditions expected

The National Weather Service has upgraded its winter storm watches to winter storm warnings in advance of a slow-moving coastal storm that could dump more than a foot of snow on much of New Jersey and bring fierce winds that could trigger flooding along the Shore and make driving difficult.

The warnings advise drivers that dangerous road conditions are likely late Sunday night and through much of the day on Monday as the snow gets heavy and strong gusty winds cause blowing snow that will reduce visibility.

“Travel could be very difficult to impossible,” the storm warnings say, noting the heaviest snow and strongest winds could impact the morning or evening commutes on Monday.

Here’s a breakdown of the storm warnings, watches and advisories issued so far in New Jersey, and what times they will be effective:

Winter storm warnings

Camden County

• Effective: 10 a.m. Sunday to 10 a.m. Tuesday
• Forecast: Heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 6 to 12 inches, with winds gusting as high as 45 mph.

Gloucester and Salem counties

• Effective: 10 a.m. Sunday to 10 a.m. Tuesday
• Forecast: Heavy mixed precipitation expected. Total snow and sleet accumulations of 7 to 13 inches, along with a light glaze of ice and winds gusting as high as 40 mph.

Burlington, Monmouth and Ocean counties

• Effective: 1 p.m. Sunday to 10 a.m. Tuesday
• Forecast: Heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 7 to 13 inches, with winds gusting as high as 45 mph

Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Somerset, Warren

• Effective: 5 p.m. Sunday to 1 p.m. Tuesday.
• Forecast: Heavy snow expected, with total snow accumulations of 11 to 15 inches and winds gusting as high as 35 mph.

Winter weather advisories

Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland counties

• Effective: 10 a.m. Sunday to 10 a.m. Tuesday
• Forecast: Snow expected, with total snow accumulations of 2 to 4 inches and winds gusting as high as 50 mph.

Coastal Ocean County

• Effective: 10 a.m. Sunday to 10 a.m. Tuesday
• Forecast: Snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 1 to 3 inches and winds gusting as high as 55 mph.

Winter storm watch

A winter storm watch is in effect at midnight Monday (late Sunday night) and continues through 6 a.m. Tuesday in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic and Union counties. Heavy snow is possible, with snow accumulations of 6 to 12 inches, and winds gusting as high as 45 mph.

Updated snow forecast map for parts of N.J.

In an updated forecast map issued late Saturday afternoon, the National Weather Service’s Mount Holly office increased its snowfall projections in some counties and lowered them in others. Among the notable changes from the morning map to the new map:

• Early projections of 8 to 12 inches of snow have been boosted to 12 to 18 inches in several counties, including Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth and Morris.
• Early projections of 6 to 8 inches of snow have been upped to 8 to 12 inches in Sussex and Warren.
• Early projections in the Vineland area of Cumberland County went down slightly, from 6 to 8 inches of snow to 4 to 6 inches.
• Early projections in the Toms River area of Ocean County went down, from 6 to 8 inches to 3 to 4.

Costal flood watch

• A coastal flood watch has been issued in coastal Ocean, eastern Monmouth, Middlesex, Ocean, southeastern Burlington and western Monmouth, effective from 7 a.m. Monday to 5 p.m. Tuesday. The watch says 1 to 2 feet of inundation above ground level is possible in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal waterways
• A coastal flood watch has been issued in coastal sections of Atlantic and Cape May, effective from 7 a.m. Monday to 5 p.m. Tuesday.

With these types of levels, “widespread roadway flooding occurs in coastal and bayside communities and along inland tidal waterways. Many roads become impassable. Some damage to vulnerable structures may begin to occur.”

Live weather radar

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