A couple inches of snow will accumulate across the southern half of New Jersey Friday morning, before a pleasant warming trend kicks in through the middle of next week.

Here are your weather headlines for Friday, March 4, 2016...

It's Snowing!

Live weather radar. Green=rain, blue=snow.
Live weather radar. Green=rain, blue=snow.
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Light snow fell across almost the entire Garden State through the overnight hours. As of this writing, a healthy coating has accumulated on grassy surfaces, roofs, cars, etc. Major roads have been in pretty good shape so far, as road crews have been working hard all night. Untreated roads, bridges, and overpasses may be especially slippery though, so please use extra caution.

As I have stressed all week, the problems from this system will not be caused by "heavy" snow - it will be persistent light snow (and occasionally moderate snow) over several hours that will continue to slowly accumulate. Unfortunately, the peak of this wintry weather is coinciding with your Friday morning commute.

Here is a sense for the latest snow total and timing forecast, by region:

--North Jersey (north of I-78): Snow is tapering off by mid to late morning, with only a coating to an inch on the ground.

--Central Jersey (between I-78 and I-195): Snow will be limited to coastal Monmouth and Middlesex counties by around Noon, with all precipitation ending by early afternoon. About 1 inch of snow accumulation is expected in this area, with local amounts potentially up to 2 inches (especially in Monmouth County).

--Southwest Jersey (south of I-195, west of the Pine Barrens): Snow will taper by early afternoon. Expect up to 2 inches of total snow accumulation.

--Southeast Jersey (south of I-195, east of the Pine Barrens to the coast): Snow could mix with or transition to rain by early afternoon. Bands of moderate snow will push snow totals a bit higher than the rest of the state, into the 2 to 4+ inch range.

A Winter Weather Advisory continues until 1 p.m. Friday for Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Mercer, Monmouth, Ocean, and Salem counties.

As this storm system pushes out to sea late Friday afternoon, skies will begin to clear and winds will stay brisk (peaking at about 20 to 25 mph).

Friday night will become mostly clear, with a hard freeze expected as temperatures drop in the mid 20s. That puts the "refreeze" situation in play, with some icy spots likely by Saturday morning.

Mostly Quiet Weekend

Temperatures will stay cool for the upcoming weekend. Our weather will otherwise stay mostly quiet (with just one little hiccup).

Saturday will feature partly to mostly cloudy skies, with nearly calm winds. High temperatures will be limited to the lower 40s, just below normal for early March.

GFS model forecast for precipitation as of Sunday morning at 8 a.m. Light snow showers are expected for at least of New Jersey. (WeatherBell Analytics)
GFS model forecast for precipitation as of Sunday morning at 8 a.m. Light snow showers are expected for at least of New Jersey. (WeatherBell Analytics)
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As a weak atmospheric wave pushes across New Jersey early Sunday morning (2 a.m. to 9 a.m.), some light snow showers are possible. This morning's models are showing this storm to fizzle as it reaches New Jersey's western border on Sunday morning. Only a "blip" of precipitation is being forecast. So don't expect much - just a few "pretty snowflakes" to begin the day on Sunday.

For the rest of Sunday, we'll see partly to mostly sunny skies and seasonable high temperatures, in the mid 40s.

Let the Warmup Begin!

On Monday, winds will shift to a southwesterly direction, fueling a significant warmup through the middle of the week. Monday's highs will range from the mid 50s in North Jersey to the upper 50s in South Jersey.

GFS model forecast maximum temperatures for Wednesday 3/9. So close to 70 degrees in South Jersey! (WeatherBell Analytics)
GFS model forecast maximum temperatures for Wednesday 3/9. So close to 70 degrees in South Jersey! (WeatherBell Analytics)
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Tuesday and Wednesday look to bring widespread 60s to the Garden State. The big question: Will we make a run for 70 degrees? Not a single model puts a 70+ degree temperature in the forecast anywhere in New Jersey, but it's certainly possible! If we do see 70, it would happen in South Jersey on Wednesday. Even if we don't hit the 70-degree mark, these temperatures will deliver a delicious taste of spring and the warmest temperatures since our record-breaking Christmas Eve.

From Thursday to Friday, a slow-moving front will bring rain and at least a slight cooldown to New Jersey. We'll work on nailing down the timing and intensity of that rain and the extent of those cooler temperatures next week.

Enjoy the snow, stay safe and smart, and have a great weekend!

Dan Zarrow is Chief Meteorologist for Townsquare Media New Jersey. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter for the latest forecast and realtime weather updates.

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