Ice from freezing rain forms on a car’s headlight. (Photo: Daniel Nee)
Icy conditions could produce a treacherous commute Monday evening and Tuesday morning in some parts of New Jersey, including Ocean County, though a forecast ice storm will have even worse effects in the northwestern reaches of the state.
A winter weather advisory has been issued for Ocean County for the period of 1 p.m. Monday to 2 a.m. Tuesday. According to the National Weather Service, local residents can expect freezing rain, with total ice accumulations of up to one tenth of an inch. Though that sounds minimal, even the smallest glaze of ice on roadways can cause extremely hazardous conditions. In the northwest of the state, including areas such as Sparta, as much as a half-inch of ice may accumulate.
“Difficult travel conditions are possible,” the advisory said. “The hazardous conditions could impact the morning commute on Tuesday.”
Due to mixing with plain rain, especially along the coast, ice accumulations “may vary widely,” the NWS said.
According to the official forecast, there will be a slight chance of rain or freezing rain before 11 a.m. Monday, then a chance of plain rain. The high will be near 36 degrees. There will be more rain Monday night, though an overnight low of 32 degrees will ultimately give way to a rise to 41 degrees by 5 a.m., limiting icing in the immediate area.
Rain will continue Tuesday with a high of 44 degrees.
It will be mostly sunny on Wednesday, though forecasters were tracking another winter storm for Thursday that will, again, bring mainly a wintry mix to the Shore area.
