Monmouth County Braces For -16 Degree Wind Chills This Weekend

MONMOUTH COUNTY, NJ — The National Weather Service is warning New Jersey residents to be prepared for extreme cold lasting until 12 p.m. Sunday.

The National Weather Service issued an extreme cold warning, with dangerously cold wind chills as low as 15-16 degrees below zero expected along the Jersey Shore this weekend. The wind chill is predicted to be 26 degrees below zero in Sussex County, the northwest portion of the state.

"Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Wind chills as low as 16 degrees below zero could result in hypothermia or frostbite if precautions are not taken," warned the National Weather Service.

The extreme cold warning will be in place from 6 a.m. Saturday to noon Sunday. The wind advisory is in place from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday. Northwest winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 55 mph are expected.

"High winds potentially leading to power outages combined with extremely cold conditions could be very dangerous!" said the National Weather Service.

Affected areas are: In New Jersey, Hunterdon, Somerset, Middlesex, western and eastern Monmouth County, Mercer, Gloucester, Camden, northwest Burlington County, Delaware County. In Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Chester County, western and eastern Montgomery County, Upper and Lower Bucks County.

Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles. Use extra caution. Dress in layers including a hat, face mask and gloves if you must go outside. If you do not have heat in your home or lack shelter, you can call 211 for assistance locating appropriate shelter from the cold.