Blizzard Warning continues Monday for NJ, two more snow chances this week

Blizzard recap: How much snow and wind so far?

I think it is fair to say The Blizzard of '26 has turned out to be just as significant and impactful as expected. From heavy snow to ferocious winds to whiteout conditions to horrendous road conditions. It has been truly impressive to watch the progression of this thing. And the storm rages on Monday morning.

Most of New Jersey is waking up to a foot or more of snow Monday morning. Some parts of the state that fell under a narrow band of heavy snow overnight have over 18 inches so far. As of this writing, the top total I have seen is Freehold, Monmouth County at 24.2 inches. And it is still snowing. And accumulating. So we are not done yet.

Meanwhile, the wind was quite strong overnight, maxing out at 61 mph at Atlantic City International Airport. Power outages were numerous, which is particularly inconvenient and even dangerous during a winter storm. Winds have started to calm down from their peak, although we are still seeing regular gusts of 40+ along the immediate coast.

The overnight high tide cycle did have some water inundation issues along the Jersey Shore, but tide gauges showed minor-moderate crests instead of moderate-major category flooding. Good news there.

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How will Monday play out?

Monday morning is still snowy and windy, and roads are still treacherous and even impassable in some cases. It is still very important for non-essential travellers to stay off the roads, to allow crews to do their jobs — it is going to take a very long time to clean up this much snow.

Storm intensity has already started to dial back along the western edge of the state, as the nor'easter slowly pulls out to sea and dry air moves in. However, bands of heavy snow continue along the eastern edge of the state. So the entire morning still looks wintry and inclement overall.

By around midday Monday into the afternoon, we should turn a corner. Snow should taper off completely, and the wind will die down to the "breezy" category. Final snowflakes in the state will likely be along the coast around the late afternoon hours.

How much more snow will fall and accumulate??

Because snow will potentially continue at a steady clip for several more hours, there is a very real potential for additional accumulations.

For inland areas, I think 2 to 4 inches of additional snow is possible during the daytime hours Monday.

Along the Jersey Shore, which will be the last area to see snow come to an end, additional accumulation could be closer to 6 or even 8 inches Monday. Again, that is on top of what was already on the ground as of sunrise Monday morning.

Will the wind continue to blow?

Monday will be a windy, blustery day. But the strongest winds are behind us at this point.

We are seeing gusts to 30 mph inland and sporadic gusts to 40 mph along the coast, and those will slowly subside throughout the day. It will be just "breezy" by Monday afternoon.

When will the Blizzard Warning go away?

The Blizzard Warning for all 21 counties of New Jersey is still set to expire at 6 p.m. Monday. But I would not be surprised if the National Weather Service drops it early, as the heavy snow exits and the gusty winds calm.

What about coastal flooding?

Tidal guidance shows two more precariously high high tide cycles, around Noon on Monday and around Noon on Tuesday. Both are expected to crest in the minor flood category along the Jersey Shore. That translates to "the usual spots," which tend to flood after most big storms.

Big ocean waves may continue to cause significant beach erosion over the next 24 to 48 hours too.

When is NJ's next snow chance?

Beyond the nasty nor'easter, temperatures will turn quite cold Monday night, dropping to around 20 degrees with a biting wind chill. Tuesday will be mostly sunny but cold, with highs only around 30.

And then a clipper system will slide through New Jersey early Wednesday morning, between about 2 a.m. and 10 a.m. Given the early morning timing and the abundance of cold air, this will be an all-snow situation. But don't expect much — snowfall will be light, with up to an inch of accumulation in North Jersey, a coating for Central Jersey, and a quarter-inch for South Jersey.

We will dig into the details of this one once it gets closer. Given the complexity of precipitation types, temperatures, and potential icing vs. snow accumulations, this will be difficult to figure out. Thanks to everyone for your patience.

And thanks to Mother Nature for reminding us not once, not twice, but three times this week that winter ain't over yet!

Dan Zarrow is Chief Meteorologist for Townsquare Media New Jersey. Follow him on Facebook for the latest forecast and realtime weather updates.