NJ School Closings and Delayed Openings for January 5, 2018

TRENTON — Many New Jersey students and school employees will have an unexpected four-day weekend as school districts cancel classes for the second day in a row.

WPG Chief Meteorologist Dan Zarrow expected the snow to start winding down late Thursday afternoon after blizzard conditions dumped upwards of 18 inches of snow on parts of Monmouth, Atlantic and Ocean counties.

But many districts were already declaring Friday a snow day early Thursday afternoon. Those districts included Jackson, Toms River, Brigantine, Margate, Keansburg and Barnegat. Some government offices said they would remain closed Friday as well.

Once the snowfall ends,  Zarrow said the combination of cold and wind will make for some dangerous conditions. Thursday night’s low temperatures will plummet to about 10 degrees, with a wind chill potentially below zero by Friday morning.

Road conditions can change in a matter of minutes thanks to blowing and drifting snow.

"Friday and Saturday are going to be ridiculously, painfully, dangerously cold," Zarrow said.

Share your snow stories, pictures, and video with reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ.