UPDATE: Winter Storm Warning Issued Through Saturday Morning

The National Weather Service has upgraded the forecast for tomorrow's predicted storm from a winter storm watch to a winter storm warning as of Thursday afternoon. 

The storm will affect most of our area the hardest from Friday night through Saturday morning. Depending on the track of the storm there could be snow accumulation of anywhere from 6 to 10 inches as well as "possibly a trace of ice,' according to the warning. 

There may be some snow on Friday morning that is expected to shift temporarily to rain before the full force of the snow is expected to arrive into Friday evening. As much as one or two inches of snow could fall per hour with winds upwards of 40 MPH making for more hazardous conditions. There is also a chance for a thunderstorm rolling through. 

By Saturday morning the snow is expected to slow down making for a sunny and windy start to the weekend. 

The storm also has a coastal flood watch for Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex Counties during the same timeframe. The National Weather Service is warning there could be minor flooding during high tide on Friday night and moderate flooding with Saturday's high tide.

Here is the National Weather Service's forecast for the Long Branch-Eatontown area:

• Tonight: A chance of rain and snow before 4am, then rain. Low around 33. East wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

• Friday: Rain. The rain could be heavy at times. High near 38. Breezy, with a northeast wind 18 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

• Friday Night: Rain before 10pm, then snow. The rain and snow could be heavy at times. Low around 26. Windy, with a north wind 22 to 26 mph, with gusts as high as 37 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 7 inches possible.

• Saturday: Snow likely, mainly before 10am. The snow could be heavy at times. Cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 34. Windy, with a northwest wind 22 to 29 mph, with gusts as high as 41 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

• Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 20. Blustery, with a northwest wind 13 to 23 mph.