Newark, New Jersey – Drivers across northeast New Jersey could face whiteout conditions by midafternoon as a blizzard drops up to 18 inches of snow and sends wind gusts to 45 mph through 6 p.m. Monday.
According to the National Weather Service in New York, a Blizzard Warning remains in effect from 1 p.m. Sunday through 6 p.m. Monday for Passaic, Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union counties. Visibilities may fall below one-quarter mile as heavy snow combines with strong winds. The most intense snowfall and strongest gusts are expected Sunday night into Monday, when snowfall rates could exceed 2 inches per hour.
Major corridors including Interstate 95, the New Jersey Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, Route 3 and Interstate 280 are expected to deteriorate rapidly. Bridges and elevated roadways in Newark, Jersey City, Paterson and Elizabeth may become especially treacherous. Conditions are likely to severely impact both the Monday morning and evening commutes.
Strong winds and the weight of heavy snow could down tree limbs and power lines, leading to sporadic outages affecting thousands. Officials urge residents to avoid all non-essential travel and prepare for extended time indoors. If travel is unavoidable, carry a winter survival kit and monitor state DOT updates for road closures.
Snow will taper gradually during the day Monday, but blowing snow may continue to reduce visibility into the evening. Warnings remain in effect through 6 p.m. Monday.
