The next storm system will bring some snow, rain and wind to New Jersey

The conclusion

It’s cold. Bla bla bla. The normal high temperatures for December 3rd here in New Jersey are 48 to 52 degrees. Even on Tuesday the thermometers barely managed to reach the 40 degree mark. The mid-winter cold continues, so grab that thick winter coat and bundle up.

Now the big question: Will this cold air be “wasted” or could it create some wintry weather? The answer is yes – but the impact of our impending Clipper storm system will be relatively minor and not everyone will see snowflakes.

The best time for inclement, possibly wintry/wet weather is Wednesday night through Thursday morning. Otherwise, we are talking about below-average temperatures until next weekend.

Tuesday

Another calm, cool day. I received reports of light snow showers – severe weather – around the Garden State early Tuesday morning. And later we could see a few more hurricanes. These are the ghosts of lake effect snow bands that have more than dumped five feet Snow over parts of New York State. Here too there is nothing but storms for New Jersey.

Expect sunshine on Tuesday with passing clouds and a light breeze from the northwest. Technically, early morning temperatures will be about 10 degrees “warmer” than Monday. However, you will still reach for winter gear. High temperatures should reach around 40 degrees Tuesday afternoon.

It will be mostly clear on Tuesday evening. And cold of course. Lows will fall into the 20s again for most of New Jersey.

Wednesday

Daytimes on Wednesday will be fine. The early sunshine will quickly disappear as the clouds increase. It gets windier in the afternoon high. High temperatures are limited to the lower 40°C.

Patchy showers and thunderstorms are possible around sunset late Wednesday afternoon. However, the peak period of rainfall will come later, mainly during the night hours.

However, isolated light snow and rain are expected for a short period of time from Wednesday night into early Thursday morning. (Intensity probably peaks and spreads around 2am)

For the area along and northwest of the NJ Turnpike corridor, this storm system will likely produce all of the snow. An accumulation of one to two centimeters and slippery areas are possible Thursday morning.

Just southeast of the NJ Turnpike, you’ll likely see a slushy mix of snow and rain during the night. Slippery spots but no accumulation.

This will be a rainmaker for southern and coastal New Jersey. The much-needed rain, by the way. On the order of a tenth to a quarter of an inch.

Thursday

Lingering snow and rain showers will taper off around 8 or 9 a.m. Thursday morning. And then the sky should clear quickly and give way to bright sunshine in the afternoon.

However, there is another problem for Thursday. Wind.

A strong westerly wind will pick up starting in the early morning hours, carrying an increasing shot of cold air into New Jersey. Gusts are expected to peak in the 30 to 40 mph range. That’s strong enough to cause sporadic power outages and flight delays. And it will also add a powerful bite to the cold air.

Temperatures will drop throughout the day Thursday, from around 40 degrees in the morning to around freezing at sunset. Wind chills will be in the teens and 20s – bundle up!

Friday

With a fresh mass of cold air, Friday is sure to be the coldest day of the week. Morning lows in the 20s. Afternoon highs will be in the mid 30s at best. Plus a persistent cool breeze. Ouch.

At least on Friday it will remain sunny and dry.

The extended forecast

The first full weekend of December looks calm and cool, although temperatures are starting to moderate.

I expect Saturday to be mostly sunny, with cold highs around 40°C. There will still be a few clouds and a light breeze on Sunday. The high temperatures are expected to reach well over 40 °C.

The 50s and even 60s should return next week. Albeit with a few more opportunities for some much needed rain. At the moment I’m keeping an eye out for possible squalls Monday and Wednesday through Thursday. As long as the warm-up occurs as planned, there is little risk of winter weather. (As always, we’ll see how this plays out.)

Dan Zarrow is chief meteorologist at Townsquare Media New Jersey. Follow him on Facebook to get the latest weather forecasts and real-time weather updates.