The coldest cold air of this cold cold winter is coming this weekend for NJ

Status quo, relatively quiet weather continues for two more days. We had some light snow showers clip South Jersey overnight — as expected, minimal impact, and they're all done now.

We'll be back in the 30s Wednesday afternoon with periods of sun and clouds, another decent February day. Temperatures will start to slide backward Thursday, only around 30. And Friday too, with highs in the upper 20s. A batch of snow showers late Friday could produce a healthy coating of accumulation.

And then this weekend turns nasty, as dangerous cold returns. The combination of intense cold and strong winds could cause the wind chill to go as low as -15 during the day — easily the coldest cold of this brutally cold winter so far.

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Wednesday NJ weather: One more day in the 30s

We have seen some decent snow/ice melt this week, thanks to temperatures in the 30s and sunshine. And that will continue for at least one more day Wednesday, as our quest weather pattern continues.

As expected, we had some snow showers clip through southern New Jersey early Wednesday morning. Those have since department, although you may see a dusting on the ground in spots. The rest of that storm system will remain well south of us.

Expect periods of sun and clouds for the rest of the day. A blanket of clouds prevented temperatures from nosediving overnight, so we start Wednesday morning in the 20s. High temperatures will reach about 30 to 35 degrees Wednesday afternoon, right around or just above the freezing mark once again.

Our weather will be dry from here on out, with just a light breeze.

Wednesday night will be partly cloudy and cold, with low temperatures mainly in the teens again. Single digits are possible in many spots.

Thursday NJ weather: A touch cooler

Thermometers will trend downward slightly for Thursday, despite abundant sunshine. Highs will reach about 30 degrees.

For many spots, this could be the start of another "deep freeze" period of several continuous frozen days. It won't be 10 days in a row this time. More like 5. But still, welcome back to the cold side.

Friday NJ weather: Late-day snow showers

Friday will get even chillier, with high temperatures limited to the upper 20s to around 30 degrees. Cloud cover will steadily increase throughout the day.

And then a batch of scattered snow showers will arrive late-day. I think snowflakes could creep in as early as late afternoon, with peak impacts through the evening hours.

We are talking about accumulations on the order of a half-inch to an inch. That is not much, but it is also not nothing. More than enough for slick spots on untreated surfaces. And if showers turn squall-ish (heavy in spots), visibility could become tricky at times too.

Saturday NJ weather: Thermometers plummet

Hands down, Saturday is going to be a nasty weather day. You will need your heaviest winter gear just to walk the dog or get the mail.

A strong cold front will sweep through the state around sunrise. That will usher in a ferociously strong wind, gusting out of the northwest up to 40 or 50 mph. Temperatures will respond by plummeting almost instantly, from the 20s to the single digits.

As you know, that combination of cold and wind is what makes winter particularly dangerous. The wind chill is expected to dip to around -10 to -15 degrees. I can not remember having to forecast a wind chill so low here in New Jersey during the day. That is cold enough for frostbite and hypothermia to settle in within 15 minutes if you do not take care of yourself and bundle up properly.

At least Saturday will be sunny and dry.

Saturday night, the low temperature will dip to around zero degrees as the wind slowly subsides. The wind chill will probably remain constant in the negative teens.

Sunday stays cold, although slightly calmer. With highs in the mid teens, the wind chill will still bite, closer to zero.

There are signs that temperatures will moderate early next week, although model guidance is unsettled about how fast that might be. I have been earmarking the midpoint of February as a big turning point between persistent cold and a more typical "cold then mild then cold then mild" wavy pattern. That is coming up late next week. We are so ready break out of the constant debilitating cold. And it looks like that is just around the corner.

Dan Zarrow is Chief Meteorologist for Townsquare Media New Jersey. Follow him on Facebook for the latest forecast and realtime weather updates.