5-8 Inches Of Snow Coming To NJ Friday, 16 Counties Under Winter Storm Watch: NWS

A messy wintry mix of snow, sleet and ice has triggered a series of winter storm watches for Friday, forecasters say.

Parts of New Jersey could see up to 8 inches of snow as total projections continue to escalate, according to the National Weather Service.

A Winter Storm Watch has been issued in Sussex, Warren, Morris, Hunterdon, Somerset, Middlesex, Monmouth, Mercer, Union, Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic, Burlington, Camden and Ocean counties.

“This fast-moving storm will pack a punch in the Northeast right after Christmas. Holiday travelers should prepare for major slowdowns on roads and at airports," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Tyler Roys said.

National Weather Service forecasters said Wednesday they were near 100 percent certain that New Jersey would see wintry precipitation Dec. 26 that will be hazardous for holiday travelers with snowfall accumulation of 5-8” with localized amount to 12” possible. Potential for snowfall rates up to 1-2” per hour. Impacts to travel are expected Friday evening into Saturday morning.

It will begin Friday afternoon into the evening, and travel impacts could last through Saturday morning.

A line will slice between the Philly metro/South Jersey and North/Central Jersey, according to the National Weather Service. West of that line will be some snow possibly, sleet, freezing rain or plain rain depending on conditions. East of the line will be mostly or entirely snow.

"Folks with travel plans from Friday afternoon through Friday night should expect impacts to their plans, as road conditions will likely deteriorate during this time with snowy and/or icy roads," National Weather Service forecasters said.

"Travel plans could be delayed or disrupted for millions of people trying to visit loved ones or returning home after Christmas. The busy period for shopping, gift exchanges and returns after Christmas may also be impacted," Roys said.

Sleet and freezing rain is also possible. A wintry mix is more likely in South Jersey. AccuWeather forecasters warned that this can also be dangerous.

"While sleet is challenging to travel upon, it can offer some modest traction," AccuWeather forecasters said. "However, a glaze of freezing rain is also expected in some areas, which will further worsen travel conditions."

National Weather Service forecasters added that it's possible for some areas to get 1 to 2 inches or more of pure sleet.

A Hazardous Weather Outlook has been issued in Passaic, Bergen, Hudson, and Essex counties, but no other watches or warnings have been issued. A Winter Storm Watch is possible for the rest of New Jersey, but has not been issued as of Wednesday afternoon.

The next storm system moves in late Sunday into early Monday. However, forecasters expect this to be more mild than Friday's snowstorm. It will be mostly wet, bringing beneficial rain, according to the National Weather Service.

Following that will be blustery, cold conditions.