Within 30 minutes, just before sunset, puddles in the parking lot near Sunset Beach in Seaside Heights literally – before one’s own eyes – turned to solid ice.
Clouds left over from Thursday’s coastal storm were whisked out in dramatic fashion during the afternoon, carried by winds that quickly surged to produce gusts just shy of 60 m.p.h., according to local data.
Though Saturday, Christmas Eve, will be sunny, the wind and numbingly-cold temperatures will remain in place and could be dangerous. A wind chill advisory remains in effect. According to the National Weather Service, Saturday will bring a high near 20 with wind chill values as low as -8. It will be breezy, with a west wind around 25 m.p.h.
Christmas will be similar, the NWS forecast said. After an overnight low of 18 degrees, it will be sunny on Sunday, with a high near 28. It will remain windy, with a west wind around 20 m.p.h., with gusts as high as 30 m.p.h.