TOMS RIVER, N.J. – New Jersey residents hoping for a white Christmas may have to settle for a cold, gray holiday instead, as forecasters say the odds of snow on the ground Christmas morning remain slim, but there is a chance.
According to the National Weather Service, Christmas Eve will bring mostly sunny skies with a high near 45 degrees and brisk northwest winds gusting up to 30 mph before temperatures dip to the mid-20s overnight.
Clouds will build after sunset, setting up a chilly but quiet start to Christmas Day.
On Wednesday, a mix of light rain and snow showers could brush parts of the state early in the morning, but meteorologists say any precipitation will be brief and limited. The chance of measurable snow is just 20 percent, with daytime highs again near 45.
The wintry weather may hold off until later in the week. Thursday night’s forecast calls for temperatures dropping into the low 20s, followed by a colder, unsettled Friday that could bring accumulating snow by afternoon. Forecasters predict a 50 percent chance of snow Friday, with less than an inch expected before a stronger system moves in Friday night, potentially bringing a mix of rain and snow and up to three-quarters of an inch of total precipitation.
While it won’t be the storybook white Christmas many were hoping for, New Jersey could still see a wintry finish to the week — just a day or two late.