Blizzard Watch Issued for Shore Area, 10-18 Inches Predicted

Snow total predictions, from the National Weather Service. (Click to Enlarge)

The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard watch for much of New Jersey, including the entire Shore area.

The watch was issued at 10 a.m., coming as the weather service canceled a previously-issued winter storm watch. The blizzard watch was prompted by updated forecast models that show the area receiving a major winter storm that could dump a “foot or more” of snow on the area, a statement from the National Weather Service said.

The blizzard watch is in effect for Monday afternoon through Tuesday night, though the snow is forecast to begin overnight between Sunday and Monday when a small “clipper” system moves through the area. That small storm will develop into a nor’easter once it moves offshore, forecasters say, which will intensify and combine with cold air to produce snow.

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Altogether, the National Weather Service is predicting 10-18 inches of snow in the area. Here’s how the storm will play out:

• The storm will begin Monday around dawn and slow the morning commute.
• There may be some melting of the snow during a lull Monday morning.
• The larger storm will begin Monday afternoon or evening.
• The storm will continue into Tuesday, winding down around midday.

The blizzard warning is also a result of strong winds forecast during the storm; wind speeds could reach 45 m.p.h., especially near the coast. Temperatures will remain in the mid-20s to lower-30s. Visibilities will be one-quarter mile or less, making driving especially hazardous, the National Weather Service said.

The blizzard watch now covers all of Monmouth and Ocean counties. The southern Shore counties – Atlantic and Cape May – remain under a winter storm watch.