New Jersey weather is a fickle beast. One minute you're walking around in a light jacket, and the next, you're digging through the garage for that salt spreader you swore worked last March. If you’ve been looking out the window wondering about the snowfall today in NJ, you’re likely seeing a lot of gray and not much white—at least, not yet.
Honestly, the "January thaw" we just had really messed with everyone's internal clock. We had temperatures hitting the 50s earlier this week. It felt like spring was making an early, uninvited appearance. But as any local knows, the Garden State doesn't let you off that easy. A massive cold front is currently barreling toward us, and while the "big one" isn't dropping several feet of powder on our doorsteps this afternoon, the transition is where things get messy.
Basically, today is a bridge. We are moving from "unseasonably warm" to "bitterly cold." And that transition involves a very specific, annoying mix of rain, sleet, and passing snow showers that will mostly hit late tonight and into the early hours of Thursday.
The Reality of Snowfall Today in NJ
If you're in Newark or Jersey City, you've probably seen mostly clouds today. Highs are hovering near 50 degrees. It's weirdly comfortable. But don't let that fool you into thinking the winter gear stays in the closet. The National Weather Service and local forecasters like those at News 12 NJ are tracking a moisture-starved system that is following right on the heels of this warmth.
Here is the breakdown of what is actually happening. The air is still too warm for major accumulation right now. Most of the state is seeing scattered sprinkles. However, as the sun goes down and that "arctic blast" begins its descent, those raindrops are going to start freezing.
What to Expect by Region
- North Jersey (Sussex, Passaic, Warren): This is where the action is. Higher elevations might see a coating to an inch by tomorrow morning. It’s not a blizzard. It’s a "dusting" that makes the roads just slick enough to be annoying.
- Central Jersey: (Yes, it exists). You're looking at a rain-to-snow transition late tonight. Most of it won't stick because the ground is still warm from yesterday’s 50-degree peak.
- South Jersey and the Coast: Mostly rain. Maybe a stray flake if you're lucky (or unlucky), but the ocean is keeping things too temperate for a white landscape today.
Why Today’s Forecast Is Deceptive
People often check their weather app, see a "snow" icon for Wednesday, and assume they need to stock up on bread and milk. But snowfall today in NJ is more about the timing than the volume.
The cold front is a "game-changer," according to CBS Philadelphia's latest briefings. It’s bringing air straight from the Arctic. The problem is that by the time the air is cold enough to support heavy snow, the moisture will mostly be gone. We call this "chasing the cold." It's a classic Jersey weather trope where it rains while it's warm and then clears up just as it gets freezing.
The Icy Patch Problem
The real danger isn't the depth of the snow; it's the "flash freeze." Since we're seeing rain and "premature" snow (as the Belleayre mountain reports call it) while temperatures are still in the 30s and 40s, the roads are wet.
When that thermostat drops into the 20s at 3:00 AM, all that wet pavement turns into a skating rink. Early morning commuters on the Parkway or I-80 tomorrow need to be way more worried about black ice than about shoveling. You probably won't even need to break out the heavy shovel—a broom will likely handle whatever lands on your car.
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The Arctic Blast Following the Flurries
Once these passing showers move out, the story shifts from "will it snow" to "how many layers do I need?"
By Thursday and Friday, we are looking at highs that barely break freezing. Wind chills are projected to hit the single digits. This is a massive swing. We are going from a "creamy" snow surface at the mountain resorts to literal ice.
- Check your tire pressure. Extreme temperature drops like this make your "low pressure" light pop on immediately.
- Salt your walkways late tonight. Don't do it while it's raining, or it'll just wash away. Wait until the rain starts turning to that slushy mix.
- Bring the pets in. It’s easy to forget how cold it gets when it was 50 degrees twelve hours ago.
Historical Context: Is This Normal?
Looking at the data from the Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist at Rutgers, January is traditionally our snowiest month. However, this particular winter has been influenced by a La Niña pattern that has made things "wetter" rather than "snowier" for the coastal plain.
We’ve seen a few squalls already this month—specifically that fast-moving blast on January 11th that caught folks in Morris and Essex counties off guard. Today isn't that. It's a slow, grinding shift into a deep freeze.
What You Should Actually Do Now
Stop worrying about a "snow day" for the kids—most school calendars like Somerville and Vineland already have Monday off for MLK Day, and today's dusting isn't enough to trigger closures. Instead, focus on the freeze.
The "slight wintry slap" we're getting tonight is a reminder that winter is finally waking up. If you've been procrastinating on getting your furnace serviced or buying a new ice scraper, today is your final warning. The temperatures coming on Friday are the real deal.
Actionable Steps for Tonight:
- Top off your windshield wiper fluid. The salt spray on the roads tomorrow will be brutal.
- Clear your gutters. If they're clogged with leaves and this rain freezes, you're looking at ice dams by Friday.
- Check on elderly neighbors. The transition from 50 degrees to 19 degrees is a shock to the system and to older home heating units.
Keep an eye on the local radar around 9:00 PM. That’s when you’ll see the line moving through from the Northwest. If you're in Sussex, you'll see the white on the map first. For the rest of us, it's just a cold, damp wait for the Arctic air to arrive.