No Joke: Snow Storm on Tap for April 1
April Fool's! Or not.
Yet another spring snow storm is slated to hit New Jersey on Friday. Computer models indicate parts of Connecticut and New York may also be in Mother Nature's wintry path, but it's still too early to tell.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm watch for Passaic, Union, Bergen and Essex counties in New Jersey from late Thursday night until 8 p.m. Friday. The watch also applies to southwest Connecticut and New York's lower Hudson Valley.
The storm is expected to develop Thursday night off the Virginia coast and intensify Friday near the Jersey and southern New England coasts.
Heavy snow is possible at times, with accumulations amounting to up to 10 inches in parts of northeast New Jersey. Wind speeds up to 20 mph with gusts as high as 30 mph are also expected.
New Yorkers can expect mostly rain from this latest storm, but there may be a changeover to snow before the precipitation begins to taper off later Friday, meteorologists say.
Heavy snow could lead to major travel concerns for the Friday morning commute. Meteorologists warn the snow could also be wet and heavy, so beware of the potential for fallen tree branches and power lines. Power outages are also possible. Heavy, wet snow is also more difficult to shovel than powder, so take extra precautions when clearing sidewalks or digging out your cars.
Temperatures are not expected to reach above 40 degrees throughout the area on Friday, but meteorologists predict it will warm up a bit over the weekend, reaching into the high 40s and low 50s.
Meteorologists caution the exact track of the storm remains uncertain, but at this point, it appears big cities are in for heavy rain and wind while the heaviest snow will fall in the interior Northeast. It's also possible that the storm could track too far off the coast, which would lead to a "non-event," according to forecasts. Warm late March ground temperatures could affect total snow accumulations.
A winter storm watch means there is potential for significant snow, sleet or ice accumulations that may impact travel.
