I'd agree with the other responders that a decent 3 season tent should work fine in those conditions--you don't really need a full bore, winter tent built to withstand gail force winds and heavy snow conditions for what you described. I'd also agree with Tom's suggestions about a vestibule and aluminum poles, which (aluminum poles) are pretty much standard on any decent (ie, non box store type tent, such as what you'd be likely to find at Campmor). I'd also agree that a single wall, lightweight tarp tent style tent, such as those sold by tarptent.com and sixmoondesigns would work and save you weight. However, the trade off there is both increased need to deal with condensation inside and also the fact that their increased ventilation needs will make them hold heat less and be much closer to the outside temperature inside the tent. A decent double wall tent all closed up will store some heat and make the inside a bit warmer than outside, which helps in below freezing temp's. You just need to decide what's more important to you, based on your likely uses, etc.

Another consideration for winter is the much shorter daylight/longer darkness and therefore likelihood of being inside the tent for longer periods and probably awake. That argues for a bit bigger space than you might need in warmer times, when you're more likely to be using the tent primarily just to sleep. So the suggestion of 3 person tent or generously laid out 2 person tent is a good one as well. That being said, I wouldn't necessarily ignore weight totally--there can be a wide variation in weight for similar sized tents because of the material used in the tent and number of poles, among other things. For what you described, I'd look for either a two or three person tent roughly in the 5-7.5 pound range with approx. 37-45 sq. ft. of interior floor space. A half dome design offers more useable interior space than an A frame style because the walls are more vertical. Eureka, which was mentioned by another poster, is not top of the line, but very decent brand at reasonable prices--Mountain Hardware and Sierra Designs, which Campmor also carries, are a step up.

I'd also second others' suggestions of checking out Campmor (in Paramus) if you're within range of their store. They've got a great range of choices, most of them actually set up so you can climb inside and get the feel of the interior space, and their sales people are generally knowledgeable and would be familiar with what can work in Jersey winter conditions. There's also an EMS next door and Ramsey Outdoor just up the road (Rte. 17), and you can check out their online deals before you go. If yiou do decide to check Campmor out in person, then just leave yourself a lot of time--there's lots and lots of good stuff to check out there.

Good Luck,

Gerry Magnes
Schenectady, NY