Pre-Thanksgiving storm update: Heavy rain, strong winds, bad travel conditions on tap in N.J.

A strong storm system moving in from the west will bring drenching rain, gusty winds and messy driving conditions to New Jersey on Tuesday and early Wednesday, setting the stage for pre-Thanksgiving travel delays on the road and in the air.

While most areas of the state are expected to get saturated with heavy rain for the first time in several weeks, a brief mix of light snow, sleet and rain could fall in high-elevation areas of northwestern New Jersey and northeastern Pennsylvania, according to Steven DiMartino , a forecaster for the private NY NJ PA Weather company.

DiMartino said people driving in those areas should use caution, especially when the precipitation first arrives, between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Tuesday. After that, warm air should convert the frozen precipitation to plain rain, but the rain will start getting heavier in the evening and at night, he said.

Forecasters from AccuWeather and the National Weather Service say most areas of New Jersey are likely to get drenched with 1 to 2 inches of rain from Tuesday afternoon through early Wednesday, with some pockets of 3 inches possible.AccuWeather

For most of the Garden State, the heaviest downpours are expected from Tuesday night through early Wednesday morning before tapering off west to east through the mid-to-late morning, the National Weather Service said. Wind gusts of 30 to 35 mph are likely, and gusts as high as 45 mph close to the coast can’t be ruled out.

As of late Monday afternoon, no formal wind advisories or flood alerts have been issued in New Jersey. But forecasters say some tree damage is possible from the gusty winds, and 1 to 2 inches of rain will likely fall — with some pockets of 3 inches.

Drivers may have to contend with moderate rain and gusty winds during the Tuesday evening commute and light rain during the Wednesday morning commute, forecasters said.

“The stiff east-to-southeast winds averaging 25-35 mph with gusts of 40-45 mph can pose a problem at some of the airports from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia and New York City,” AccuWeather said in a storm report on its website. “Airline delays are most likely during this time (late Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday evening) due to winds, drenching rain and poor visibility.”

Forecasters from the National Weather Service say most areas of New Jersey are likely to get drenched with 1 to 2 inches of rain from Tuesday afternoon through early Wednesday, with some pockets of 3 inches possible.National Weather Service

For Thanksgiving travelers heading north and west of New Jersey late Tuesday and early Wednesday, “motorists should expect some roads to become slippery, especially over the highest elevations in northern Pennsylvania and southern New York, but farther to the north from northern New York to northern New England, more general wintry driving is likely with accumulating snow,” AccuWeather forecaster Adam Douty said.

The good news: Thanksgiving is shaping up to be a dry day, with mostly sunny skies, although temperatures will be on the cool side. Forecasters are calling for morning lows in the low 30s on Thursday and afternoon highs in the low 50s — right around normal for late November.

Forecasters from the National Weather Service say most areas of New Jersey are likely to get drenched with 1 to 2 inches of rain from Tuesday afternoon through early Wednesday, with some pockets of 3 inches possible.National Weather Service

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