NJ weather: Flip-flopping temperatures this week, from 40s to 70s

The Bottom Line

Can you believe we are counting down the final days of March? And, as the saying goes, we generally expect tame lamb-ish weather at this point of the month and year.

And I supposed that holds true, as the forecast contains no "big" storm systems. Just a few showers and sprinkles.

However, temperatures are going to be on quite a back-and-forth ride this week. From two days in the 50s, to the chilly 40s, back to the 50s, and then one day potentially reaching the 70s. Hold on tight. And keep the jacket and umbrella handy.

Get our free mobile app

Tuesday

Tuesday will be both cloudier and cooler than Monday. But also drier.

The day begins with temperatures in the 30s and 40s, and some patchy fog. I have seen visibility numbers as low as a quarter-mile. So that may slow you down a bit.

Tuesday overall will be a gloomy, dreary feel to it. But I think we will catch some peeks of sun along the way. And it will be a mainly dry day — only a few sprinkles or isolated showers are expected, at the most.

High temperatures will only reach about 50 degrees Tuesday afternoon. A full 10 degrees lower than Monday afternoon. And decidedly below normal for this time of year.

Tuesday night will be cool and dry. Low temperatures will flirt with freezing, in the lower to mid 30s.

Wednesday

Wednesday is in the running for the nicest day of the week. During the daytime hours, at least.

We should see good sunshine for the first half of the day, before fair-weather clouds return Wednesday afternoon. Wednesday's high temperatures should improve to the mid 50s — typical for late March.

A batch of spotty showers looks to clip New Jersey Wednesday night (no earlier than 10 p.m.) Temperatures would be conducive to some wet snowflakes. But little to no accumulation and zero travel impacts are expected.

Winds may kick up as those showers depart early Wednesday morning.

Thursday

Sunshine will be counteracted by a chilly breeze, blowing out of the blowing up to 20 mph.

That refresh of cold air will keep high temperatures in the mid 40s Thursday afternoon. More reminiscent of late February than late March.

Friday

Both temperatures and cloud cover will be on the increase Friday. High temperatures should average upper 50s, which should feel pleasant.

The only potential snag in Friday's forecast is the arrival time of our next storm system. Scattered showers may interrupt outdoor plans starting around 5 p.m., through the evening hours. Not a soaker, just sporadic damp weather conditions.

Saturday & Beyond

Steadier rain will come into play on Saturday, starting in the early morning hours. A quarter-inch to half-inch of total rainfall is looking likely. That's healthy, but not really heavy.

In addition, a strong southwest wind will fuel a big one-day warmup. Despite the raindrops and clouds, high temperatures Saturday are forecast to soar into the lower 70s. By the numbers, it could be New Jersey's warmest day since November.

But that's it. By Sunday, winds shift to drag in colder air, pushing temperatures almost 20 degrees cooler. Highs will probably be in the 50s for Sunday and Monday, with a diminishing breeze and plenty of sunshine.

I like the idea of a more sustained warmup in the extended 7 to 10 day forecast. Soon enough, 60s and 70s will be commonplace around the Garden State. Again, there are no big storm systems or snow chances 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.