Let’s do it again! Back to the 80s Tuesday for most of NJ
While the Jersey Shore will be noticeably cooler once again, most of the Garden State will enjoy high temperatures 20+ degrees above normal.
Here are your weather headlines for Tuesday, April 11, 2017...
Hooray for 80s!
I've been clamoring for a couple of weeks now that New Jersey was "hungry" (maybe even "hangry") for a taste of sustained warmth.
And then, along came Monday! High temperatures hit 80+ degrees for much of the Garden State. The highest temperature according to the NJ Weather Network: 83 degrees at Hamilton (Mercer Co.) and Howell (Monmouth Co.) At 82 degrees, Newark Airport tied its daily record high temperature, last achieved in 1955.
Another day of mostly to partly sunny skies, light winds, and dry weather is ahead. So I have no doubt that temperatures will be at or above Monday's benchmark, mostly in the lower 80s.
Of course, the big exception to the extreme warmth is the coastline. As sunshine warms up the land surface more than the ocean, a "sea breeze" circulation sets up. This process, typical of Jersey springtime and summertime, carries cooler air on-shore. And so temperatures are forced downward for the few miles next to the ocean.
On Monday, the difference between "inland" and "coast" was quite significant — almost 30 degrees for part of the day.
I suspect (and I hope) the sea breeze effect will be less stark on Tuesday. Even so, coastal communities will probably be about 10 to 15 degrees than their inland neighbors.
Slight Rain Chance
It'll be a nice evening too, although our next storm system — a cold front — is scheduled for Tuesday night into Wednesday. I'll be honest. The rainfall potential is low. But it is a hiccup in an otherwise beautiful weather week. And there could be a few rumbles of thunder.
At the earliest, showers could spread into northwestern New Jersey around 2 a.m. Wednesday morning. The raindrops then spread south and east through as late as 5 p.m. Wednesday. It's not going to rain all day in any given location — just a brief shower or thunderstorm (if that).
Again, forecast rainfall totals are very light, on the order of a tenth of an inch. You'll probably notice the thicker clouds and stiffer breeze more than the rain. That combination will keep temperatures a bit cooler for Wednesday, in the lower to mid 70s.
Cooler, but Comfortable
Thursday looks even cooler, with morning lows close to 40 degrees in North Jersey. Afternoon highs will be limited to the lower 60s on Thursday. Yes, a far cry from our deliciously warm early-week 80s. But lower 60s is normal for mid-April, so it will remain quite comfortable!
Skies on Thursday will average partly sunny, with a stiff breeze. There's a chance for a shower late Thursday, but don't hold your breath.
Friday looks to be a repeat of Thursday, with a pleasant mix of sun and clouds and highs in the lower 60s. Saturday will be a few degrees warmer, in the lower to mid 60s statewide.
The warm returns in full for Easter Sunday — our current forecast calls for upper 70s to around 80 degrees. In that warmth, I'm a little wary of a late-day shower or thunderstorm popping up. We'll watch that potential and keep you posted.
But otherwise, grab the sunglasses, don the short-sleeved shirt, and enjoy the June-like warmth!