It’s like thunder, lightning … Friday’s forecast is frightening

As I sit in the newsroom here in Trenton listening to an intense storm overhead, I can't help but think of Eddie Floyd.

Too deep of a reference for you? Come on, you have to know this one! It's a classic, and the chorus is where I got the idea for today's headline.

And actually, this reminds me of my first priority when I leave work on this Friday. A friend of mine has been going back and forth with me over the last couple of months, each of us ranking our 500 favorite songs of certain decades. We've come around to the '60s last of all, with only my ranking left to go, and I don't know about you, but "Knock on Wood" would certainly be high on my list.

Anyway, here's what you need to know about the weekend weather in New Jersey.

Friday has an ugly start any way you look at it. Already showers and thunderstorms are underway, as I mentioned, and a Flash Flood Watch has been issued for select areas through 2 p.m. Most of the Jersey Shore, South Jersey, and a few counties in North Jersey have been left out of this alert, but more than two inches of rain could fall locally early in the day. Highs will be in the lower to mid-80s.

A few clouds remain in the picture Friday night, with a leftover stray shower possible at the shore and in South Jersey. Lows will generally be around 60, but some parts of North Jersey and the shore could feel just the upper 50s at best.

Once we get through all that, however, you couldn't ask for a better summer weekend. Sunny and less humid on Saturday, with highs around 80, and then sunny once again and up to 85 on Sunday.

An early peek at next week shows rain continuing to stay away and, after this brief break from our heat wave, high temperatures inching back up toward 90 degrees. Fun!

Meteorologist Dan Zarrow is on vacation and returns Monday, July 9. Patrick Lavery is Senior Producer of Morning News and Special Programming for New Jersey 101.5, and is lead reporter and substitute anchor for "New Jersey's First News." If you're interested, check out Pat's 500 favorite songs of the '70s, '80s, or '90s, ranked in descending order, on Spotify.

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