UPDATE FRIDAY: Forecast improves to just wintry mix, rain for Friday. Snow threat returns next week.

The first snowfall forecast map of the season is out showing northwestern New Jersey counties expected to get 1 to 2 inches of snow late Thursday into Friday morning, with the potential for a wintry mix that could creep into a wider area of North Jersey.

The National Weather Service’s early projections for the minor storm say about an inch of snow is most likely in Morris, Sussex and Warren counties as well as as western Passaic and northern Hunterdon counties with isolated spots getting up to 2 inches. The precipitation will start as rain before changing to snow, the weather service said in its Tuesday morning forecast update.

Forecasters initially said drivers should expect light accumulating snow and slippery road conditions in several counties in northern New Jersey as a cold front approaches the area from the west and low pressure develops. A wintry mix is possible for additional counties surrounding that region, though the southern half of the state is expected to just get rain as temperatures stay above freezing.

New Jersey could get the first snow of the season late Thursday and into Friday morning with 1 to 2 inches of snow and a wintry mix in the forecast for the northwest portion of the state.National Weather Service

AccuWeather.com is less bullish on snow than the National Weather Service with a forecast calling for a mix of rain and snow in northwestern New Jersey with rain everywhere else. AccuWeather cautions, however, that if the storm shifts slightly, that’s subject to change.

“A 50-mile difference in the storm track could mean the difference between locations receiving all rain or seeing some snow mix in,” AccuWeather said Tuesday morning. “The I-95 corridor, including Philadelphia and New York City, may lie in this mix zone.”

New Jersey could get the first snow of the season late Thursday and into Friday morning with 1 to 2 inches of snow and a wintry mix in the forecast for the northwest portion of the state.National Weather Service

While any precipitation will be gone by Friday morning, temperatures will turn sharply colder. Highs on Friday and Saturday are only expected to climb into the 40s, though skies will be sunny both days.

Overnight lows Friday and Saturday nights will be mainly in the upper 20s to low 30s.

Conditions leading up to Thursday night look better, though. Election Day in New Jersey will be cloudy but fairly mild with temps reaching the low 60s. Wednesday should be sunny and in the low 50s by the afternoon. The sun will be out early Thursday before clouds thicken and moisture arrives sometime in the afternoon. Temps will make it to the 50s before dropping after sunset.

MORE WEATHER NEWS:

7-DAY FORECAST

MORE NEW YORK AREA WEATHER

MORE PHILADELPHIA AREA WEATHER

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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