Outages, 'Nearly Impossible' Travel: Gloucester Twp. Braces For Major Winter Storm

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — Weather officials lowered their projections Friday afternoon for this weekend's winter storm. But the ice could be especially potent throughout the region, especially for South Jersey towns like Gloucester Township, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

Snow will begin after midnight late Saturday night into early Sunday morning. The storm will peak sometime during the day Sunday and into the evening before winding down into Monday morning, says the NWS's regional office in Mount Holly.

A winter storm warning is in effect for the entire region from 7 p.m. Saturday to 1 p.m. Monday for the entire region. During that time:

• Heavy snow and mixed precipitation are expected.
• Power outages and tree damage from ice are likely.
• Travel could become "nearly impossible," the NWS's warning says.
• Hazardous travel conditions could linger into the Monday morning commute.

Roughly 8 to 12 inches of snow are expected throughout South Jersey — down from the NWS's projections of 12 to 18 inches from Friday morning.

"Snowfall amounts have trended down slightly, but ice amounts have trended up slightly for some areas," NWS Mount Holly said. "Regardless of exactly how much snow falls, our message is the same: Significant impacts are expected for our entire area!"

The threat of ice accumulation looms especially large in South Jersey, where up to 0.3 inches could accumulate Sunday.

"The combination of heavy snow followed by sleet/freezing rain and breezy northeast winds gusting 20-30 mph could result in some isolated instances of downed trees and power lines, and power outages," NWS Mount Holly said in a Friday afternoon storm briefing.

Meanwhile, an extremely cold period will run from Friday night through next week, according to forecasters.

A cold weather advisory is in effect from midnight to 10 a.m. Saturday, when wind chills could dip to 7 below zero.

"Frostbite and hypothermia will occur if unprotected skin is exposed to these temperatures," the advisory says. "Wind chill values can lead to hypothermia with prolonged exposure."

Click here for the National Weather Service's latest winter storm briefing as of Friday. An updated briefing will be released around 7 a.m. Saturday.

Local Impacts

Monday's trash and recycling has been pushed to Tuesday in Gloucester Township.

Police are advising Gloucester Township residents to take precautions for the upcoming storm:

• Remove all parked vehicles and trailers from the roadways, if possible, so Public Works crews can plow the streets.
• Say off the road while it's snowing and shortly after so plows and salt trucks can clear the roadways.
• If you must drive to work, give yourself extra time to travel safely. Remove all snow off your vehicle, including the roof.
• If you live near a fire hydrant, remove snow from the front, back and sides of it so firefighters can quickly locate them.
• Gloucester Township residents with special needs can sign up for the police department's Emergency Preparedness Registry.
• If you have an emergency, call 911. If you need immediate police assistance in Gloucester Township, call 856-228-4500.

Here's the National Weather Service's forecast for Gloucester Township as of this writing:

• Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 20. Wind chill values as low as -6. North wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
• Saturday night: Snow, mainly after 1 a.m. Low around 14. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.
• Sunday: Snow before 10 a.m., then snow, freezing rain, and sleet. The snow could be heavy at times. High near 31. Northeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New ice accumulation of 0.1 to 0.2 of an inch possible. New snow and sleet accumulation of 6 to 10 inches possible.
• Sunday night: Snow, freezing rain, and sleet before 7 p.m., then freezing rain and sleet between 7 p.m. and 4 a.m., then snow likely after 4 a.m. Low around 23. Northeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New ice accumulation of 0.1 to 0.2 of an inch possible. New snow and sleet accumulation of less than one inch possible.
• Monday: Snow likely, mainly before 7 a.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 29. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.
• Monday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 7.