Gorgeous weather for NJ for a few days: Sunny, dry, and warm

The Bottom Line

This weekend's weather was a mixed bag across New Jersey, as pockets of rain late Friday into Saturday transitioned into a fierce wind. Actually, I thought Sunday felt like a "fall" day, with the breeze and the crisp, dry, cooler air mass in place.

The wind died down significantly overnight. And we are left with some spectacular springtime weather to start the week. Cool mornings. Warm afternoons. And plenty of sunshine. For two days, at least.

The fire danger has been tamped down for now, as most underbrush is now damp. But that will not last long, if we don't see more substantial rain soon. Same deal with pollen levels, lowered but certainly not gone.

The second half of this week turns unsettled. But I do believe there are far more dry hours than wet ones in New Jersey's forecast.

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Monday

There is not much to say about Monday — it is going to be a beautiful day.

It is cool Monday morning, with temperatures averaging 40s across the state. There are even several pockets of 30s around. So you may very well be reaching for a jacket or sweater for the first few hours of your day.

One important note: The air is really dry right now, with dew points in the 20s. That adds a certain "crisp" feel to the day. Dry air also warms up and cools down quicker than humid air, so temperatures should rise rapidly by mid-morning.

Expect sunny skies, a light breeze, and dry weather from start to finish Monday. High temperatures will reach about 70 to 75 degrees, just above the seasonal normals (upper 60s) here in late April.

Temperatures will tumble into "jacket weather" territory again Monday night, bottoming out around 50 degrees. Skies will stay clear and winds will remain light.

Tuesday

There will be a few changes to our weather on Tuesday:
1.) A few clouds will come to visit.
2.) It will be breezier.
3.) It will be warmer.
4.) Humidity will increase in the afternoon.

But still, Tuesday looks great. Expect mostly to partly sunny skies, with high temperatures around 75 to 80 degrees.

Wednesday

A powerful storm system is barreling across the continental United States. You will hear of severe weather issues around Minnesota on Monday and Ohio on Tuesday.

And then, once that system arrives in New Jersey on Wednesday???

Hardly anything.

That front is going to wash out, or "fizzle," right over the Garden State on Wednesday. So while we could see a stray shower or sprinkle, do not expect much.

Under mostly cloudy skies, there will be some temperature differences. While most of NJ should still reach the 70s Wednesday afternoon, the northern third of the state will likely get stuck in the 60s.

Thursday

Most of Thursday looks dry. But that frontal boundary is still in play, leaving us with generally unsettled weather through the rest of the week.

Thursday should be similar to Wednesday, with more clouds than sun and high temperatures on either side of 70 degrees.

The chance for showers will ramp up Thursday night. Scattered stuff, although there could be some rumbles of thunder and localized downpours around.

Friday & Beyond

Friday into Saturday likely represents the best chance for rain this week. But again, there will be waves of "hit or miss" type stuff — it is not a steady soaking.

With a strong southwesterly breeze — which I often call a "blast furnace wind," given its warming tendency — highs may once again approach 80 degrees. Humidity will really get cranking too.

I am concerned that, given the heat and humidity, those hit-or-miss thunderstorms could reach strong or severe limits by late Friday. We will have to keep an eye on the sky diving into the first weekend of May.

Saturday may stay showery and/or stormy through part of the morning. Then drier weather and clearer skies should prevail. Meanwhile, a northwest breeze will usher in cooler air, keeping temperatures mainly in the 60s Saturday afternoon.

Sunday should bring a return to completely dry, pleasant weather. I am seeing a sunny and seasonable day, with highs near 70.

Next week's forecast is trending quite dry, which gives me agita about drought and fire danger concerns spiraling again. I am keeping fingers crossed that we can keep seeing one or two rain events per week to keep the ground damp — or else we might be in trouble again in very short order.

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