Many snowstorms have hit the state in December and the first few weeks of January. But are accumulation numbers running higher than normal?

This week, the National Weather Service issued a new type of alert to better inform the public about the conditions we are experiencing.

This new type of weather warning was activated because of the dangerously cold temperatures and wind-chill readings in northeastern Pennsylvania.

An unusual weather phenomenon known as thundersnow was reported near Essex County Sunday evening, according to the National Weather Service. The rare weather event was reported around 6:17 p.m. Thundersnow is what happens when lightning can occur within snowstorms,

The NWS extends a Cold Weather Advisory for the region including parts of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and southeast Pennsylvania.

The quick moving snowstorm brought frigid temperatures to New Jersey, with wind making it feel like single digits. The cold is expected to last all week.

Temperatures are expected to hit single digits, with wind chills in the negatives, after a Jan. 19 storm dumps snow across much of New Jersey.

The snow started falling in the early afternoon and will become heavier in the early evening, the National Weather Service reported.

The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for New York and New Jersey on Thursday. Forecasters say there is a chance of afternoon snow showers

“The safety of our plungers is always No. 1 on our minds,” said Jeremy Davis, who helps run the annual Polar Bear Plunge at Seaside Heights for Special Olympics New Jersey. “If it dips below freezing and becomes too dangerous, we would certainly have to make alternate plans.”

By the time March, April, and May come along, even the most ardent snow-lovers can suffer from winter weather fatigue. After all the shoveling and plowing and salting and slipping and sliding and bundling up, the flip from winter to spring is usually a welcome one.

The National Weather Service says New Jersey will finally return to normal highs in the upper 30s to about 40 on Sunday.