Cooler but pleasant for Presidents Day Monday in NJ
No more record-breaking 70-degree temperatures, but above-normal temperatures continue for the foreseeable future.
Warmth. Not something we get to talk about much in February! But this weekend was simply spectacular, with 60s and even 70s for both Saturday and Sunday. Partly sunny skies, light winds, 99% dry weather. Just magnificent.
For many New Jerseyans, the holiday weekend continues for Presidents Day Monday. Yes, a cold front is indeed bringing cooler air to the Garden State. But I promise it'll still be a nice day!
Thermometers are expected to climb into the lower to mid 50s for Monday afternoon. While that's 15 to 20 degrees cooler than Sunday, it's still about 10 degrees above normal for late February. (Those numbers illustrate how unseasonable and unusual this weekend's 70-degree temperatures were!) Skies will be sunny on Monday, except in far North Jersey where some clouds may hang overhead for a time. We'll enjoy a light northwesterly breeze, up to about 15 mph.
Monday night will be quite chilly, as lows dip into the upper 20s to lower 30. You'll definitely need a jacket (at least) for Tuesday morning's trip back to work and school.
Tuesday is shaping up as the coolest day of the week, as mostly cloudy skies hold high temperatures in the upper 40s to lower 50s. Of course, "coolest" is a comparative term - those numbers are still above normal for late February!
A weak front will provide a chance for showers from Tuesday night through early Wednesday. I'm leery about how widespread those raindrops might get - much of New Jersey may stay pretty dry during that period.
Breaks of sunshine should resume by Wednesday afternoon. Combined with a shift to southwesterly winds, another warming trend will kick in Wednesday. Highs should recover to the mid 50s.
And then Thursday gets downright warm again. Highs in the mid 60s. It will be breezy, and there will be fair-weather clouds. But it looks like another gorgeous, warm late February day for the Garden State.
The extended forecast shows a quiet Friday daytime, before more unsettled weather arrives by the last weekend of February. At the moment, I'm seeing periods of rain, a brisk wind (25 mph), and warm temperatures (60s) for Saturday. Given that combination, embedded spring-like thunderstorms are on the table too. Don't cancel weekend plans yet, as the timing of that rain may swing earlier or later. (I'm hoping it does, since Saturday is the annual Polar Bear Plunge event in Seaside Heights.)
Following the rain, we'll turn cooler again by Sunday. But with highs in the upper 40s to around 50, we'll close out the weekend with even more above-normal temperatures.