Hazardous Weather Outlook in New Jersey

We warned you last week, so here it is. A hazardous weather outlook is in effect in New Jersey as the region prepares for some bad weather coming this week.

Fairly heavy rain is expected to fall over much of New Jersey, and some of it will be slick, freezing rain that could make the Tuesday morning commute fairly treacherous, according to the National Weather Service.

The alert was issued for Sussex, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, eastern Burlington, Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland counties.

In Middlesex County and south, enough rain is supposed to fall that minor tidal flooding is possible with the high tide cycle after 4 a.m on Tuesday and again on Wednesday morning.

In Sussex County and in surrounding areas, freezing rain is possible on Monday night and Tuesday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

The coastal storm will become organized off the coast of North Carolina on Monday afternoon, gathering moisture as it treks toward New Jersey, according to an AccuWeather release.

As the system continues northward overnight on Monday, rain will steadily spread along the Interstate-95 corridor into southern New England. "Much of this region remains in moderate to extreme drought, so any rain will be beneficial at this point," AccuWeather Meteorologist Renee Duff said in the release.

Philadelphia, New York, New Jersey and Boston are among areas that are expected to receive rainfall above 0.01 of an inch for the first time since Oct. 30.

Here is the weather forecast:

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60. Southwest wind 3 to 5 mph.

Monday night: A slight chance of showers after 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33. Light and variable wind. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.

Tuesday: A chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 51. Light north wind. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Tuesday night: A chance of rain before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. Northwest wind 3 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 54. West wind 3 to 6 mph.

Patch file photo