Mother Nature is set to kick up the heat and humidity a notch on Wednesday, making for a steamy late summer day. Enjoy the warmth, because it only lasts for about a day!

Thermometers are starting out in the 60s Wednesday morning, with a hint of stickiness in the air. Under partly to mostly cloudy skies, temps will top out in the mid 80s Wednesday afternoon. That is about 5 to 10 degrees above normal for mid-September.

So it could be a good beach day, if you're headed in the direction of the Jersey Shore. However, a moderate risk of rip currents continues. (Note: the surf won't necessary be rough, but the swell is conducive to the formation of dangerous rip currents.) This is especially perilous because lifeguards are off-duty for the season — please continue to use common sense at the beaches.

The chance for a popup shower or thunderstorm daytime Wednesday is not quite zero. But I'm still eyeballing Wednesday evening (after 6 p.m.) as the most likely time frame for scattered showers and thunderstorms. Some of those thunderstorms could be a bit gusty and/or soaky. (Yes, I made up that word - there could be localized downpours.)

We've been tracking a cold front scheduled for Thursday, which will spark a cooldown. The timing of that front has been difficult to nail down, and that uncertainty remains. I think we'll have a chance for rain at any time in the Garden State Thursday. Not a total washout (i.e. raining all day in any given location), but not a real pretty day either.

Because of the rain and the clouds, I've shifted temperatures downward for Thursday afternoon. My latest forecast shows high temps ranging from 75 (north) to 82 (south).

The workweek will end with a much different weather day on Friday. Our new cool air mass and a stiff breeze blowing off the ocean will limit high temperatures to the upper 60s to lower 70s — well below-normal for this time of year. I believe skies will be mostly cloudy to overcast.

The weekend forecast isn't perfect, as showers are still looking likely throughout Saturday. Not a total washout though, and we'll get seasonable temperatures peaking in the upper 70s. Sunday is shaping up to be the drier, brighter, warmer day of the weekend as highs spike into the mid 80s.

Monday looks warm, while Tuesday looks cooler. No big storm systems or overly dramatic weather on the horizon.

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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