The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for Stone Harbor and surrounding communities for Saturday, January 7th, from 1:00am until 6:00pm. This Winter Storm Watch is in addition to the Winter Weather Advisory currently in effect for our region for overnight Thursday into Friday.

The Winter Storm Watch in effect for Saturday calls for the potential for five or more inches of snow for Cape May County throughout the day on Saturday. A winter storm that will be impacting North Carolina and Virginia is currently forecasted to be closer to southern New Jersey on Saturday than originally predicted. It will be cold enough throughout the weekend for any precipitation that we receive to be all snow and likely not mixing with any rain.

Overnight Thursday into Friday morning, one to three inches of snow is possible along the southern New Jersey coastline. This is not expected to be a significant storm event but could make overnight driving and the early morning commute slippery. Exercise caution while driving. Road crews have been working throughout the evening in the County to treat County roads in advance of the overnight snow. Snow should end before 6:00am.

The more significant weather event is possible on Saturday. The National Weather Service is clear saying that the track of the storm can greatly impact the amount of snow forecast for our area. A track further to the south will lessen the impact; a track further to the north may produce more snow. This forecast is certainly subject to change as the storm approaches. If the storm produces the anticipated snowfall, it will likely start late Friday night or early Saturday morning, potentially heavy at times.

Please make your travel plans accordingly and pay attention to traditional media outlets, and this website, for updates on the storm. If you have any emergency during winter weather events, please call 911.

Here is the text of the Winter Storm Watch posted by the National Weather Service for Saturday, January 7th:

…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS
EVENING TO 6 AM EST FRIDAY…
…WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE FRIDAY NIGHT
THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON…

* LOCATIONS…FAR SOUTHEASTERN NEW JERSEY.

* HAZARD TYPES…SNOW

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS…1 TO 3 INCHES TONIGHT. POTENTIAL FOR 5 OR
MORE INCHES LATE FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. THERE IS SOME
UNCERTAINTY IN THE TRACK OF THE WEEKEND STORM SYSTEM, WHICH
WILL AFFECT SNOWFALL AMOUNTS.

* TIMING…SNOW WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA FROM WEST TO EAST
BETWEEN 8 PM AND 11 PM THIS EVENING. THE SNOW BECOMES STEADY
AND MODERATE AT TIMES LATE THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT…THEN
QUICKLY END FROM WEST TO EAST BETWEEN 3 AM AND 6 AM EARLY
FRIDAY MORNING. SNOW FROM THE NEXT STORM SYSTEM WILL
OVERSPREAD THE AREA EITHER LATE FRIDAY NIGHT OR SATURDAY
MORNING. THE SNOW COULD BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES ON SATURDAY
BEFORE TAPERING OFF AROUND SUNSET.

* IMPACTS…EXPECT HAZARDOUS TRAVEL TONIGHT WITH ROADS BECOMING
SNOW COVERED. UNTREATED ROADS AND SIDEWALKS MAY STILL BE
SLIPPERY HEADING INTO THE FRIDAY MORNING COMMUTE EVEN AFTER THE
SNOW ENDS. THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR HAZARDOUS TRAVEL AGAIN ON
SATURDAY WITH SNOW-COVERED ROADS AND POOR VISIBILITY.

* TEMPERATURES…UPPER 20`S AND LOW 30`S TONIGHT. HIGHS IN THE
MID 20S ON SATURDAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW
WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW
COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES…AND USE CAUTION WHILE
DRIVING.

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT
SNOW ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR
THE LATEST FORECASTS.