Eight counties in New Jersey are under a winter storm watch, because of the possibility of heavy snow and dangerous road conditions

The first snowfall projections have been released for a potentially major winter storm taking aim at the Northeast, with up to a half-foot of accumulation possible in a broad area. A coating in some locations to as much as a few inches will extend from the southern Appalachians to the mid-Atlantic

Some forecasters think most of the state will get brushed by very light snow, while others say 3 to 6 inches could fall

All eyes are on next week as Arctic cold spills south and a Gulf low could lead to a winter storm along the Gulf Coast.