Presidents' Day Weekend Storm Targets NJ As Weather Pattern Shifts

Milder temperatures with gusty winds are in store Wednesday for New Jersey, according to the latest forecast. Forecasters are also tracking a possible weekend storm.

Wind gusts will peak between 25 mph to 35 mph Wednesday afternoon, National Weather Service forecasters said. High temperatures will be in the 30s to low 40s.

"The gusty winds however will result in wind chills in the 20s and 30s through the day (teens in parts of the southern Poconos)," National Weather Service forecasters said. "It turns colder tonight with a breeze continuing, and this will drive wind chills down into the teens (single digits in the southern Poconos)."

Thursday and Friday will be somewhat cooler compared to Wednesday, but with highs in the 30s, it will still be warmer than it has been in recent days.

Conditions will turn milder again over the weekend, with forecasters watching a potential storm Sunday into Monday.

"There is still uncertainty in the intensity, track, and timing of this system," National Weather Service forecasters said.

The favored track would see rain or snow turning to rain, however, there's a small chance of accumulating snow.

AccuWeather forecasters noted that there is a chance of snow and ice.

"While there is not a large area of Arctic air to the north, there is enough cold air for some precipitation to be snow and ice," AccuWeather Senior Director of Forecasting Operations Dan DePodwin said. "At this time, it seems like the area at greatest risk for wintry precipitation is the Ohio Valley into the interior Northeast, provided the storm travels far enough to the north in the first place."

If the storm tracks more north, there could be a combo of rain, snow and ice, forecasters said.

"Extensive snowpack from the Midwest to Northeast can sometimes delay warmer air from arriving close to the ground," DePodwin said. "This can increase the risk of ice, especially when precipitation begins, even if the majority of the event is rain. It will likely not be cold enough in the coastal cities of the Northeast, from Washington, D.C., to Boston, to support a major snow or ice event. However, some snow and ice is possible in this area, especially from New York to Boston."

Patch will share more updates as the forecast becomes clearer.