Morning temperatures could drop into the 20s in some parts of New Jersey by this weekend, forecasters say.
Say goodbye to the comfortable short-sleeve weather, and get ready to add some layers to your outdoor attire. A blast of Arctic air is heading to New Jersey and other parts of the East coast this week, from Boston down to Raleigh, N.C.
Just off the heels of another warm September-like day on Monday, with afternoon temperatures rising into the upper 60s to low 70s, the mercury will be dropping into the upper 30s to low 40s across most of the Garden State on Tuesday morning, forecasters said.
If cold air remains in place Tuesday night when light rain showers move through, some parts of New Jersey could see their first snowflakes of the season. Places with the best shot at some snow flurries -- or rain mixed with snow -- are those in the higher elevations of Bergen, Essex, Passaic and Sussex counties, the National Weather Service said. However, little or no accumulation is expected.
From summer to winter in 1 week! Snow may mix in w/rain tonight for areas N of NYC. Red box shows the most likely areas. No accum expected. pic.twitter.com/b0Ml0aUlcR
-- NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) November 7, 2017
For the rest of this work week, daytime highs will be stuck in the 50s across most of the state, but the biggest chill will come on Friday and Saturday, when a wave of frigid air dips down from Canada.
"It's gonna struggle to get to 40 degrees from I-80 on northward," said Sean Rowland, a meteorologist at WeatherWorks, a forecasting company based in Warren County.
Rowland called it "a two-day shot of cold air," noting temperatures will gradually begin to moderate on Sunday after a frigid Friday and Saturday.
Here's how the forecast from the National Weather Service is shaping up for specific regions of New Jersey:
- In the Morristown area, the low could drop to 36 degrees Tuesday morning. Highs are forecast in the upper 40s to low 50s the rest of this week, and morning lows in the upper 30s. On Saturday, the morning low could get as cold as 27 degrees and the afternoon high might not go above 45 degrees.
- In the Newark area, the low could drop to 42 degrees Tuesday morning. Highs are forecast to remain in the low 50s the next few days, possibly not getting above 49 degrees on Friday. On Saturday, the morning low could get as cold as 28 and the afternoon high might not get past 44.
- In the Trenton area, the low could drop to 43 degrees Tuesday morning. Highs are expected to stay in the low to mid-50s the rest of this week, and morning lows around 40 degrees. On Saturday, the morning low could get as cold as 30 and the afternoon high might not get above 47.
- In the Atlantic City area, the low could drop to 44 degrees Tuesday morning. Highs are expected to remain in the low to mid-50s the rest of this week, and morning lows in the low 40s. On Saturday, the morning low could get as cold as 28 and the afternoon high might get stuck at 47.
With temperatures dropping below 32 degrees, any parts of New Jersey that have not yet had a hard freeze will likely get one by this weekend, bringing an end to their growing season, forecasters from AccuWeather said.
AccuWeather offers some good advice to homeowners in advance of the cold snap: "Property owners who have not done so already should drain garden hoses and fountains and bring bird baths in for the season. Outdoor plumbing in unheated areas should be winterized as temperatures will plummet well below freezing."
Carefully watching the potential for some snow on back edge of Tue PM disturbance in the higher elevations of NW NJ and SE NY! #njwx #nywx pic.twitter.com/eVEQN39DPx
-- NY Metro Weather (@nymetrowx) November 6, 2017
Coastal flood advisories
A coastal flood advisory is in effect for coastal areas of Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean counties, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, because astronomical tides are running slightly higher than normal.
The National Weather Service said minor flooding could occur during the morning high tide cycle. High tide along the Atlantic Ocean occurs between 9:15 a.m. and 10:15 a.m., and high tide on the back bays and along Raritan Bay occurs a bit later than the ocean high tide.
A coastal flood advisory is also active in Atlantic and Cape May counties, as well as in southeastern Burlington, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
More New York City area weather
More Philadelphia area weather
Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality or like him on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.