The Bottom Line

The snow is done. New Jersey turned quite wintry Sunday evening, as 0 to 7 inches of snow fell and accumulated. My forecast played out pretty well with regard to the top and bottom ends of the snow spectrum. There were some underperformance issues (i.e. totals lower than forecast) in the middle, due to rain/sleet mixing and dry air getting in the way. (My Saturday morning forecast was actually spot on, while I unnecessarily bumped up totals on Sunday morning.)

Now we can fully focus on our next big weather story: Intense cold. We are in the deep freezer, with temperatures continuously way below 32 degrees until at least Friday.

A massive dome of cold air will send temperatures plummeting across New Jersey and beyond this week. (Accuweather)
A massive dome of cold air will send temperatures plummeting across New Jersey and beyond this week. (Accuweather)
loading...

More importantly, as overnight lows drop into the single digits both Tuesday morning and Wednesday morning, any little breeze will push the wind chill below zero. Remember, the wind chill represents much more than just a "feels like" temperature. It is a critical indicator of how human (and other animal) health is affected by the combination of cold and wind. When the wind chill drops below zero, that is the threshold for dangerous cold.

In fact, a Cold Weather Advisory has been issued for most of New Jersey for the first time ever. This new product was launched in the fall and replaces the now-retired Wind Chill Advisory. It means the same thing — wind and cold could quickly lead to hypothermia and/or frostbite.

A subtle warmup will kick in by next weekend. There are no substantial snow chances on the horizon for a while — this dome of cold air will keep the dominant storm track away from New Jersey.

I am going to keep the rest of this post short, since there is not much to talk about other than frigid weather. I think the numbers are what folks are most interested in, so that is my focus. Don't expect any big warmup or snow melt any time soon.

WPG Talk Radio 95.5 FM logo
Get our free mobile app

Monday

Mostly sunny skies. Daytime highs in the mid 20s. Wind chills no better than the teens.

At night, temperatures will enter the "danger zone". Look for lows between about 2 and 11 degrees. The wind chill may dip as low as -5.

Tuesday

High temperatures — the warmest it gets all day — will only be in the upper teens. Wind chills stay near zero with even a light breeze. Skies will be partly sunny. There is a slight chance of an evening snow shower clipping the coast — hardly even worth mentioning.

Tuesday night could be the coldest of this stretch. My latest forecast calls for low temperatures between -3 and 10. Again, that's what the thermometer will say. Once again, wind chills could easily dive below zero.

Wednesday

Very similar to Tuesday, with highs only in the upper teens. Skies will be mostly sunny. And winds will start to lighten up and shift, which is good news.

Thursday

A little better, as highs reach the upper 20s and wind chills may become a nonfactor Expect a mix of sun and clouds and another dry weather day.

Friday & Beyond

I believe Friday is our next shot at seeing above-freezing temperatures, as highs "soar" into the lower-mid 30s under sunny skies.

Saturday could be the nicest day of the week, although temps will still get stuck below normal. Highs should reach the mid 30s.

Sunday could come close to 40 degrees, in South Jersey at least. And as our dome of cold air slips away, the opportunity for active weather starts creeping in again. There is no good consensus yet about the potential for some wintry weather next week, but there is a chance in the Sunday-Monday time frame. Let's see how things continue to develop — if there are alarm bells to ring, you will be among the first to know.

The 15 best places to live in New Jersey

Listed in descending order, here are the 15 places in New Jersey that Niche graded the highest.

Gallery Credit: New Jersey 101.5

Dan Zarrow is Chief Meteorologist for Townsquare Media New Jersey. Follow him on Facebook for the latest forecast and realtime weather updates.

Best New Jersey Diners For Breakfast and Lunch

Thank you to our New Jersey listeners for these recommendations.

Gallery Credit: Bill Spadea

More From WPG Talk Radio 95.5 FM