The cold shock when South Jersey residents wake up Sunday morning may come as a painful reminder that winter is less than a month away. But the high winds and very dry air, coupled with plenty of dry leaf litter and branches has lead the National Weather Service to issue a red flag warning from 10 a.m to 6 p.m. Sunday.

A red flag warning indicates conditions are ripe for explosive wildfire development and authorities warn that any fires that develop could quickly burn out of control.

Sunday also will be the coldest day of the season, with high temperatures struggling to reach the mid 30s, the weather service said. Wind chills could be in the teens to low 20s at times.

This dry cold will come two days before what could be a potent northeaster is expected to develop late Tuesday and into Wednesday, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and potentially moderate coastal flooding.

The storm, which forecasters have grown increasingly confident about developing, will affect the region on the busiest travel day of the year and could bring snow or frozen precipitation to parts of New Jersey, the weather service said.

However, the weather service will not begin forecasting how much snow could fall until late Sunday at the earliest, forecasters wrote in a weather briefing released late Saturday.

 

Mays Landing- Students were evacuated Wednesday morning from Williams Davies School in Mays Landing, after officials say a small fire broke out.

Authorities say the fire, which was in a bathroom was put out quickly, but there was still a lot of smoke in the building. The damage is said to be minimal, and there were no injuries. Students were evacuated to nearby Oakcrest High School, before returning once the smoke cleared out. Police say they do have a suspect, a 12 year-old boy from Mays Landing. He is charged with second degree aggravated arson, 3rd degree criminal mischief and fourth degree risking widespread injury. He was taken to Harbor Fields Detention Center. Pending juvenile court.

Used spreaders to do a door pop. Stood by with hose line.

Found Wires arching on tree. Recalled Weekstown Fire Company Waited for Electric Company, All units were clear at 8:00am

NBC40.net

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service has a warning for South Jersey. 

Wednesday and Thursday are being considered high risks for forest fires. 

Due to the dry, cold weather along with the windy conditions leads to an enhanced fire weather danger. 

"...Be very careful with campfires, with these cold nights people are burning their fireplaces and wood stoves, any time they discard ashes we want to make sure they're completely out, and where they discard them, be very careful, where they discard them," said Russ Fenton, Section Warden of the NJ Forest Fire Service.

On Monday, a forest fire ripped through more than 80 acres in Hamilton Township.

Stations 160 and 161 were dispatched to a vehicle fire at the intersection of White Horse Pike and Weymouth-Elwood Road. Upon arrival, the driver of a commercial vehicle had extinguish the fire coming from the locked up brakes of his vehicle. Fire department took no action and cleared scene.