White Christmas Possible In New Jersey

Keep dreaming if you want a white Christmas. You may get one, although much of New Jersey will likely get more of a wet, windy and slushy Christmas that travelers could find challenging.

The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for nearly the entire state, saying a storm system could bring light snow to the area Sunday night and strong winds on Monday.

Travel conditions were already getting a little rough on Friday as thousands of travelers were taking to the roads. A 6-car accident on one New Jersey highway was creating domino effect on other roads.

Read more: Fatal 6-Car Crash Causes Massive Delays On Parkway, Turnpike, I-287

Snow is expected to hit into parts of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, western Maryland and western New York toward the end of the day on Christmas Eve, according to AccuWeather. But northern New Jersey will likely get more of a mix, and the rest of the state will get rain.

That could change, however. The track and strength of the storm, as well as the speed at which much colder air arrives, will determine the form of precipitation from parts of eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey to southeastern New England from Sunday night to early Christmas Day, according to AccuWeather.

At this time, all or mostly rain is forecast from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia and Atlantic City, New Jersey. However, snow and sleet are likely to mix in from near Lancaster, Allentown and Scranton, Pennsylvania, to Trenton, New Jersey; New York City; Hartford, Connecticut; Providence, Rhode Island; and Boston Sunday night to Christmas morning, according to AccuWeather.

Here is the forecast:

• Friday: A chance of rain, mainly between 1pm and 2pm. Cloudy, with a high near 40. South wind 3 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
• Friday night: Rain, mainly after midnight. Low around 37. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
• Saturday: Rain. High near 48. Light and variable wind. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
• Saturday night: A chance of rain before 1am. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 32. Northwest wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
• Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 39. North wind 3 to 7 mph.
• Sunday night: Snow likely, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 25. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
• Christmas Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 32.

Tom Davis photo