Records fall on Day 1 of this warm spell

OK, it may not be as hot on Wednesday as the girl in this picture would have you believe, but it definitely won't feel like February. Tuesday didn't either, and there are now numbers to prove it.

As predicted, New Jersey hit at least a couple of record highs Tuesday: 73 degrees in Atlantic City and 71 in Trenton, both surpassing marks set in 1930. And there's a very good chance that by the time we reconvene on this blog Thursday morning, even more date-specific records will have been set.

The forecast hasn't budged as far as what's to be expected for Wednesday. Early drizzle and fog will leave, and skies will be partly cloudy, with highs in the lower to mid-70s. The daytime skies, though, may be the last chance we have for prolonged dry weather for quite some time.

Rain moves into New Jersey from the northwest late Wednesday afternoon, and pockets of light rain will become more widespread throughout the state as we go through the evening and overnight hours. Lows will dip down into the lower to mid-40s, and stay there through the end of the work week.

Well, it was nice while it lasted.

Showers are likely all day Thursday, with some sleet or freezing rain a possibility in North Jersey at night. Highs for Thursday, if we can pin down a range, will be in the mid- to upper 40s. Then Friday, it'll rain much of the day once again, temperatures remaining mostly in the 40s as well.

Right now the weekend looks wet, although temps will likely climb into the 50s.

So enjoy Wednesday, and be sure to get yourself some ice cream in the process.

Meteorologist Dan Zarrow is on paternity leave and returns Tuesday, March 6. Patrick Lavery produces "New Jersey's First News" and is New Jersey 101.5's morning drive breaking news reporter. Patrick's favorite ice cream flavor is strawberry.

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