Ocean City Likely to Avoid Worst of Winter Storm

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for much of New Jersey on Friday as a potentially powerful storm makes its way up the East Coast. Parts of New England are bracing for blizzard conditions.

But Ocean City is not part of the Winter Storm Warning. Instead, the National Weather Service weather advisory warns that the strong coastal storm could start with a wintry mix early Friday morning before changing to rain during the day. The rain will change back to snow on Friday night with about an inch of accumulation possible.

Minor coastal flooding is possible with the high tide on Saturday morning (7:12 a.m. on the bay side at the Ninth Street Bridge).

Friday's weather will bring east winds of 20 to 26 mph turning north in the afternoon and gusting as strong as 40 mph in the afternoon and up to 45 mph at night. Friday afternoon's high will be 45 degrees, and Friday night's low is predicted to be 33 degrees.

The sun returns on Saturday with a high of 38 degrees.

Friday's winds will build the local swell into the 4- to 6-foot range in choppy conditions, but offshore winds on Saturday morning could make for clean surfing conditions.