Lots of rain and very limited icing Sunday: 4 things to know

Heh, and here I was thinking I wouldn't have to work this weekend. Another storm system, another (very limited) chance of wintry weather, and therefore another special weekend weather blog post. I'll keep this one brief.

1.) Steadiest Rain: Sunday 2 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Saturday will be a dry and pleasant (by early March standards). Partly sunny skies, with highs in the mid 40s — just a hair below normal for this time of year.

On the other side of the weekend, we might salvage a piece of Sunday late afternoon. (Although lingering showers and clouds are possible.) Temperatures will range from near 40 in North Jersey to around 60 degrees in South Jersey.

2.) Icy Onset for Some

For the vast majority of New Jersey, this one is going to be rain, rain rain. Rainfall totals on Sunday should range between a half-inch and an inch.

However, as precipitation begins overnight, temperatures in North Jersey may be cold enough to sustain some wintry weather. You might catch some snowflakes as far south as I-78. An extended period of snow, sleet, and freezing rain is possible along and north of I-80. If conditions are just right, there could be very icy conditions there early Sunday morning.

3.) Winter Weather Advisory

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for the following counties at the following times:
—Midnight to 11 a.m. Sunday... Morris, Sussex, and Warren counties.
—4 a.m. to 9 a.m. Sunday... western Passaic County.

The advisory calls for up to an inch of snow accumulation and light to moderate ice accumulations. I'm most worried about the potential for freezing rain, which would lead to some very slippery road conditions Sunday morning. (Before warming temperatures force a changeover to plain rain, and any ice or snow on the road melts.)

4.) Early Next Week

There are no ferocious arctic blasts or significant winter storms in sight. Monday will feature clearing skies, a fresh breeze, and seasonable temperatures near 50 degrees. (It will be a bit cooler in areas that still have snow on the ground.)

Tuesday and Wednesday will be cooler (40s), but still quiet. A warming trend (50s to 60) will take over late next week. And then our next storm system arrives with scattered rain from about late Thursday night through early Saturday morning.

Have a great weekend! Despite the rainy (and icy to the north) forecast for Sunday morning, I hope you can get outside for a breath of fresh air at some point.

We also get to time travel this weekend, as Daylight Saving Time begins! Don't forget to Spring Forward before you go to bed Saturday night (or early Sunday morning). Even though we lose an hour of sleep, sunset on Sunday will be almost 7 p.m. — worth it for the extra daylight!

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