Snowstorm, cold temperatures coming to North Jersey

On January 19, 2025By Littum

A fast-moving winter storm is poised to hit the region on Sunday, bringing a flurry of snow followed by “dangerously cold temperatures,” causing the presidential inauguration to be moved indoors for the first time in 40 years.

The storm, expected to begin as early as Sunday morning, could drop between 5 and 8 inches in North Jersey before tapering off overnight, according to National Weather Service. The wintry weather will stretch across the Northeast, including the Interstate 95 corridor from Washington, DC, to Boston, according to forecasters.

Govt. Phil Murphy has declared a state of emergency to Sunday. It goes into effect at 8 a.m. and applies to all 21 counties, Murphy said.

“As always, I urge all New Jerseyans to exercise caution, follow all safety protocols and stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary,” Murphy said in a statement.

At its peak, snow may fall at a rate of ½ to 1 inch per hour in North Jersey, causing slick travel conditions and limited visibility on roads, and especially bridges and overpasses.

Governor’s Statement does not normally restrict citizens’ movements or activities, but it allows officials to recommend specific actions such as travel restrictions, cancellations and closures. It also allows the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management to use state resources to help local and county governments respond to the emergency.

It also authorizes the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management to call on the New Jersey State Police, National Guard and departments of environmental protection, transportation and health to respond.

The region will experience a sharp drop in temperatures from Sunday evening and continue into the evening on Wednesday.

High temperatures in North Jersey will be in the 20s on Monday, then drop into the teens to around 20 degrees on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. Low temperatures Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night will be in the single digits.

But it will feel much worse as an Arctic blast will bring wind chills and single-digit temperatures during the day and below zero at night, the National Weather Service said.

Monday night into early Tuesday, the wind chill will go as low as minus 5 to minus 15 degrees, and 0 to minus 10 degrees Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning.

The “dangerously cold conditions,” according to the NWS, will bring an increased risk of hypothermia and frostbite. Infrastructure impacts may include frozen pipes and increased demand for heating energy.

The snow is expected to cover roads and motorways, and cause flight cancellations in the north-east, according to Accuweather.

“This will likely end up being the first general snowstorm for the Interstate 95 corridor in the mid-Atlantic and New England, as storms this winter have not hit all areas with significant snow at once,” said Tom Kines, AccuWeather senior meteorologist.

Bitter cold for inauguration, NFL playoff

The cold forecast prompted President-elect Donald Trump to do so move his inauguration ceremony Monday to the US Capitol Rotunda, instead of the Capitol’s west front. Capital One Arena, with a capacity of about 20,000, will open for live television coverage of the ceremony. Trump plans to visit the arena after being sworn in.

“The forecast for Washington, DC, with the wind chill factor, could bring temperatures down to severe record lows,” Trump said on Truth Social. “If you decide to come, dress warmly!”

The last time a presidential inauguration was held indoors was on January 20, 1985, when Ronald Reagan was sworn in for his second term. That day, Washington experienced a minimum of minus 3 degrees and a maximum of 17 degrees, USA TODAY reported. This year, with the wind chill, temperatures are expected to be in the single digits.

Monday is also Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday honoring the black activist and minister. Government offices, public schools, banks and some corporate offices will be closed today.

Fans on their way to NFL playoff game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams on Sunday in Philadelphia, bitter cold, windy conditions and snow are also expected, which could reduce visibility and lead to wintry accumulation on the field, according to AccuWeather.

Kickoff is at 15 at Lincoln Financial Field.

The cold will ease later in the week, with temperatures in North Jersey expected to reach the 20s on Thursday and the 30s on Friday.