Monday is the big day, when New Jersey restaurants are able to re-open for outdoor service. And the forecast looks really good for your al fresco dining pleasure, with only limited rain chances through the midpoint of the week.

We're starting off your Monday morning with temperatures ranging from the 40s (NW and Pine Barrens) to the 50s (most of the state) to the lower 60s (immediate coast). There is a storm system spinning along the South Carolina coast, spitting showers as far north as Maryland. Pretty close. But the only change to our weather here in New Jersey will be the return of clouds to the sky by Monday late morning. Don't worry, Monday still reads as a pleasant, dry day. High temperatures will reach about 70 to 75 degrees — 5 to 10 degrees below seasonal norms.

Monday night will be our 4th cool night in a row, with thermometers bottoming out in the mid to upper 50s. Skies will average partly cloudy.

Tuesday morning, I do have to add a chance for showers for southern New Jersey only. We're talking about Atlantic, Cape May, and Cumberland counties — if that. The rest of the day and the rest of the state will see periods of sun and clouds Tuesday. High temps will hold steady at 70 to 75 degrees.

And Wednesday looks pretty similar too — some sun, some clouds, and perhaps some sprinkles bubbling up from the south. Temperatures Wednesday afternoon may tick upward a degree or two, ranging from the lower 70s (coast) to mid 70s (inland).

Changes will arrive on Thursday, as warmer and more humid weather returns. Highs will reach about 80 degrees away from the coast. In addition, a few showers and maybe a thunderstorm will be possible anywhere in the state (not just South Jersey). Those raindrops will be sporadic to widely scattered, at best. But it's still a signal that our weather will be turning more unsettled and summerlike through the late part of the week.

Friday's forecast will feature a mix of sunshine and potential thunderstorms — again, nowhere near a washout. Highs will bump into the lower 80s away from the coast. And with a dew point around 65, it's going to be pretty sticky.

That brings us to the weekend. Which, by the way, will be the first weekend of summer — the solstice officially arrives Saturday at 5:44 p.m. And at this moment, it looks like typical summertime weather in New Jersey — partly to mostly cloudy, warm and humid, with a daily chance of a shower or thunderstorm. (As always, we'll add more detail to the weekend forecast as it gets closer.)

So overall, not a bad week of weather! Whether you're more looking forward to the cool half or the warm half of the week, enjoy!

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

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