Snow, Wind Gusts Could Hit Long Valley
LONG VALLEY, NJ — A winter storm making its way into New Jersey could leave behind up to 5 inches of snow in the Long Valley area, according to National Weather Service predictions.
In Long Valley on Friday night after 1 a.m., the National Weather Service forecasts between 1 and 2 inches of snow could be left behind as the storm begins. As Saturday starts, the snow is expected to continue until about 1 p.m., with up to 4 inches possible through its end. Saturday's portion of the storm could also deliver wind gusts up to 30 mph.
Morris County Office of Emergency Management is monitoring the storm, Director Jeffrey S. Paul said in a statement emailed to Patch, about the upcoming weather conditions. Paul called it "too early to lock in a prediction based on the uncertainty of the storm and lack of confidence models."
Some models show between 1 and 4 inches, he said. Other models have between 3 and 6 inches, if the storm shifts west, with less snow possible in the county's western sections.
The early portion of the storm on Friday morning, he said, leaves the Office of Emergency Management with few concerns, as it starts with light snow and a mix of rain.
"The main attraction is a more concerning model that we have shifted our attention to and will continue to keep a close eye on," Paul wrote. "The data suggests that we will see a transition in the late afternoon/evening on Friday to snow continuing through the early morning on Saturday."
Ahead of the storm, the county has closed its COVID-19 testing center at County College of Morris on Saturday. The center expects to reopen on Sunday.
Washington Township Mayor Matt Murello posted a forecast model from WeatherWorks. His map shows between 2 to 5 inches of accumulation in the Long Valley area, before the storm ends.
Washington Township Office of Emergency Management also posted about the storm, predicting by 11 a.m. Friday morning:
See the National Weather Service forecast below through Saturday:
Friday: Light snow likely, mainly between 1pm and 5pm. Cloudy, with a high near 32. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Friday Night: Snow likely, mainly after 1am. Cloudy, with a low around 15. North wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.
Saturday: Snow likely, mainly before 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 20. North wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 7. Northwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Questions or comments about this story? Have a news tip? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com.
This article originally appeared on the Long Valley Patch
