N.J. weather: Arctic blast to bring dangerously cold wind chills to region tonight, snow may follow

UPDATE: Weekend winter storm threat remains high, but snow totals are uncertain

Bundle up, New Jersey. Two of the coldest nights so far this winter are on the way, thanks to a blast of Arctic air that will be pushing temperatures into the low teens and wind-chill readings into the single digits.

Forecasters say wind chill temperatures — how cold it feels when the regular air temperature is combined with the wind — could get as low as zero degrees or even below zero in far northern and western sections of the state overnight Monday and overnight Tuesday.

Temperatures that cold could pose a risk of frost bite or hypothermia, which is why the National Weather Service has issued cold weather alerts in eight counties: Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Somerset, Sussex and Warren.

The alerts are active from 2 a.m. through 10 a.m. on Tuesday.

Areas shaded in light blue are under cold weather alerts. Wind-chill readings will be dropping into the single digits across New Jersey overnight Monday into Tuesday morning, with some areas going below zero.National Weather Service

Meanwhile, forecasters are closely monitoring the potential for a winter storm that could bring snow and ice to many states later this week before impacting the New Jersey region this upcoming weekend.

Frigid temperatures

Temperatures will fall Monday night into the single digits and teens across New Jersey, combined with west-northwest winds gusting up to 30 mph, creating dangerous wind chills.

Forecasters say wind chill readings will range from near or below zero degrees northwest of the Interstate 95 corridor and in central New Jersey, to single digits over the rest of the state.

• Snow totals top 4 inches in 7 counties for Sunday’s storm. Town-by-town numbers.

The National Weather Service warns that any snowmelt from Monday afternoon may refreeze on untreated road surfaces, creating the potential for black ice overnight and into early Tuesday morning.

Residents should use caution if traveling and allow extra time to reach their destinations.

Wearing appropriate layers of clothing will be essential, particularly if spending any extended periods outside while traveling, the weather service noted.

Dangerous cold temperatures are expected to grip New Jersey through Wednesday with wind chills near zero degrees. Forecasters are tracking the possibility of more snow next weekend.AccuWeather.com

Tuesday will remain bitterly cold, with highs only reaching the lower 20s across New Jersey, and wind chills remaining in the single digits throughout the day.

Tuesday night, high pressure will move overhead, allowing winds to diminish under clear skies.

Radiational cooling will occur, potentially leading to more widespread overnight lows in the single digits Tuesday night, with wind chills still in the single digits for most areas and below zero in elevated terrain.

Wednesday will bring a brief break from the cold snap, with temperatures returning to more seasonable levels and highs in the 30s.

Thursday will be the mildest day in the forecast period, with highs reaching the 40s.

The second of two weekend snowstorms dropped several inches of snow in many areas of New Jersey. Pictured here is frozen snow on a shrub in Edison on Monday morning, Jan. 19, 2026.Len Melisurgo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Another arctic front will move through late Thursday night, bringing a return to colder conditions by Friday, with highs in the 20s and 30s and lows in the single digits and teens by Friday night.

There is increasing potential for an impactful winter storm to impact portions of New Jersey this weekend, though considerable uncertainty remains about the exact track and timing.

A low-pressure system is expected to develop over the Southern Plains on Friday and track eastward into the Deep South on Saturday.

The track of the system beyond Saturday remains uncertain, depending on how strong an arctic high-pressure system becomes to the north.

Forecasters say some weather models show a very strong high-pressure system that would suppress the storm track southward, keeping significant precipitation away from New Jersey.

Other models show a weaker high-pressure system that would allow a more northerly storm track, potentially bringing significant snow accumulation to the state.

The National Weather Service notes that snow probabilities show a 40% to 60% chance of 2 or more inches of snow and a 20% to 40% chance of 6 or more inches of snow for areas south of Philadelphia.

Probabilities decrease further north across New Jersey.

Additional details about the weekend storm system should become clearer in the next several days.

Current weather radar