NEW JERSEY – The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning this weekend for five New Jersey counties and other alerts expanded as expected snow accumulation totals have risen for the weather system on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Gov. Phil Murphy addressed the storm preparations on Sunday, and Patch has the press conference (see below). Parts of New Jersey could get nearly a foot, and those predicated snow totals have grown since Saturday morning (see expected snow totals below).

Enough snow – 5 to 9 inches in spots – could fall to close schools or delay openings. Read more: New Jersey School Closings/Delays List For Monday and Tuesday. Instead of flying to California as he planned, Murphy said he will remain in New Jersey this weekend and discuss the weather preparation operations. Here is his press conference:

A winter storm warning was issued for Bergen, Passaic, Sussex, Morris and Warren counties. The warning was set to begin at 4 a.m. on Sunday and end between 1 and 7 a.m. on Tuesday.

A winter weather advisory, which will expire at 1 a.m. on Tuesday, was also issued for Middlesex, Somerset, Mercer and Hunterdon counties.

The rest of the state is expected to get rain. Here are the alerted areas:

The storm could wreak enough havoc to make holiday travel a complete mess. Here is what you should expect:

A light wintry mix may develop on Sunday morning along and west and north of the I-95 corridor and it may result in some slippery travel. However, the mix could quickly change to rain.

A lull in precipitation is possible on Sunday afternoon and evening. Then, much of the snow that is forecast is then expected to occur later Sunday night and Monday.

Rain or a wintry mix should change to snow Sunday night along and north of the I-78 corridor. Significant snowfall amounts are possible for the I-80 corridor northward.

Total snow accumulations of 5 to 9 inches – a slight tick downward from the original prediction of 5 to 11 inches – and ice accumulations of up to one-tenth of an inch are possible.

The bulk of the snow in North Jersey is expected to fall between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Monday.

Rain is also expected to change to snow on Monday afternoon in South Jersey and the Jersey Shore.

Untreated surfaces may become hazardous, with the most travel impacts along and north of I-78

Travel could be very difficult throughout this period. The hazardous conditions could impact holiday return travel on Sunday and the commute periods on Monday. Here are the expected snow totals, which have grown since Saturday morning: Here is the high-end prediction:

