February got off to a stormy start, bringing New Jersey its biggest snowstorm of the winter season. And the month will be ending on a stormy note, but this time it will be mostly in the form of rain.
Forecasters say two storm systems will be moving across the Garden State this weekend, and even though the first one will likely bring a brief batch of snow or sleet to the northern counties overnight Friday into early Saturday morning, it will change to plain rain as temperatures warm up.
The rain should be gone in most areas by late Saturday afternoon, but another storm system will arrive on Sunday, bringing light to moderate rain across the state in the morning, afternoon and evening, according to the National Weather Service.
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Although no flood advisories have been issued as of late Friday morning, the weather service says some minor flooding could occur from the weekend rain, coupled with the melting of the snow that still remains from previous storms.
While Saturday’s rain is expected to be on the light side, forecasters say Sunday’s rain could amount to an inch or more.
February 2021 will go down into the history books as one of the snowiest Februaries on record in northern and central New Jersey, according to preliminary stats from the National Weather Service.
The New Brunswick area has been blanketed by 30.6 inches of snow this month — making this the second snowiest February on record in that region of Central Jersey, with the data going all the way back to 1893. The Newark area also has recorded 30.6 inches of snow this month, making this the third snowiest February since records began at Newark Liberty International Airport in 1931.
February also has been a cold month overall. The Newark area has had an average temperature of 31.9 degrees (the average of the daily highs and daily lows), which is 2.3 degrees below normal. And the Trenton area has averaged 30.6 degrees, which is 3.1 degrees colder than normal.
Down in Atlantic City, where only 7.3 inches of snow has fallen in February, temperatures have averaged 34.3 degrees, just 0.8 degrees below normal.
Current weather radar
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Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com.