An October-ish cooldown underway for NJ, even colder this weekend

The Bottom Line

After three days in a row hitting 80 degrees in part (or most) of New Jersey, it is time for more October-ish weather to return. A cold front is sliding across the state Thursday morning, which will introduce a brisk wind and cooler air. That means temperatures will turn much more seasonable, with highs only in the 60s for the next few days.

Another big blustery cooldown arrives by the end of the weekend, setting up a few days of November-ish temperatures.

Meanwhile, our drought and wildfire danger concerns continue to grow. Our next chance of substantial rain might come in the first few days of November — but don't hold your breath.

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Thursday

We start Thursday morning with actual raindrops falling from the sky! Yes, spotty showers are driving from west to east through about the 8 a.m. hour. It will not amount to much, but it is good to know that rain is still a type of weather we can see here in the Garden State.

Behind the front and behind the showers will come some wind. A strong northwest breeze will likely gust over 20 mph throughout the day. That is not enough to blow you away or cause damage, but it will add a blustery characteristic to the cooldown.

It is actually not that cool Thursday morning, with temperatures near 60. High temperatures will only reach the mid to upper 60s Thursday afternoon. A far cry from those 80s over the past few days.

Early clouds will give way to plenty of sunshine by lunchtime Thursday. Even so, because of the cooler air and the wind, you may be reaching for a jacket or sweater.

Because of the dry brush, dry air, and elevated winds, NJ's wildfire danger shoots up on Thursday too.

Any fire that gets started can develop and spread very quickly in these conditions. New Jersey's outdoor burn ban continues.

By Thursday night, we will be back on the chilly side of the world. And we are right back to "jacket weather," as low temperatures dip to around 40 degrees overnight. Some spots could hit 30s, with patchy frost a possibility.

Friday

Friday's forecast reads like a pleasant late October day. It will be sunny, dry, and calm. And temperatures will be seasonable — near-normal for this time of year — peaking around 60 to 65 degrees.

Saturday

The weekend looks fine, although there will be a few little weather speed bumps along the way.

A sprinkle is possible early Saturday. Then skies will clear. It will turn into another windy day, as gusts potentially hit 30 mph. Once again, officials will probably ring wildfire alarm bells.

Saturday will again top out in the 60s for most of the state. We could even see a few 70s in South Jersey.

Sunday

Our next big cooldown really hits on Sunday. And this time, the temperature pendulum will swing to below-normal for a day or two.

Look for morning lows in the 30s and 40s — potentially frosty across the interior of NJ. Under partly sunny skies, high temperatures on Sunday will only reach the upper 50s or so. If that forecast holds true, it would be in contention for the coldest day of the season so far.

Monday & Beyond

Monday stays cool. Despite sunshine, highs will only reach about 60 degrees at best.

And then a southwesterly wind drives another warmup. Back into the seasonable 60s for Tuesday, followed by warm 70s on Wednesday.

That brings us to Halloween next Thursday! And the trick-or-treating forecast looks dry, of course. Also warm, with long-range forecasts suggesting a return to 80 degrees a distinct possibility.

Entering November, hoping we will see a pattern change that would allow some rain to sneak in. At the moment, guidance puts a couple of wet weather opportunities within the first week of the month. But it is way too early to put stock in that outlook just yet.

Again, I fear the drought and wildfire situation will get worse before it gets better.

Dan Zarrow is Chief Meteorologist for Townsquare Media New Jersey. Follow him on Facebook for the latest forecast and realtime weather updates.