A taste of December weather for NJ: Cold air, brisk wind, snow showers

Weather in a word today: Blustery. Tuesday will easily be New Jersey's coldest day since April, with morning lows near 30 degrees and afternoon highs only reaching the lower 40s for most of the state. Plus, a fierce westerly wind will gust regularly to about 40 mph throughout the day, adding a big bite to the cold air. Anyone heading out to work, school, or Veterans Day ceremonies will definitely need to bundle up a bit. A few snow showers will likely pass through North Jersey too, with a dusting or coating possible in spots. Temperatures will moderate in the coming days, closer to 50 degrees, but still holding below seasonal normals and still with a brisk wind. Our next chance of substantial precipitation looks to be rain at the tail-end of next weekend.

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Tuesday NJ weather: Cold, wind, snowflakes

I want to be very clear: Nothing in this forecast is particularly unusual for mid-November. 'Tis the season for cold air, brisk wind, and even snow showers. And we are not talking about dangerous cold nor substantial snow accumulation here. Just an unseasonable, blustery wintry day. It's definitely time to bundle up, New Jersey.

Tuesday morning starts with most of New Jersey at or below freezing, in the 20s and 30s. And the wind is already blowing hard in many spots, expected to kick up even more as the day goes along.

High temperatures Tuesday will only reach the lower 40s. That is about 15 degrees below normal for this time of year, more typical of Christmas Day or Valentine's Day than Veterans Day. Plus, with wind gusts up to 40 mph throughout the day, the dreaded wind chill (the cold season "feels like" or "apparent" temperature) will probably be stuck in the 30s for the duration.

We will see a mix of sun and clouds throughout the day. And yes, a few snow showers will clip through the northern third of the state, along and north of Interstate 78. I am not concerned about widespread travel issues due to slick roads or reduced visibility. However, a dusting or coating of snow may accumulation on cold or grassy surfaces for the first time this season.

As night falls Tuesday evening, the wind will subside a bit. But it will not die down completely. With low temperatures in the lower-mid 30s, the wind chill will probably end up in the 20s overnight. Cold stuff, especially this early in the season.

Wednesday NJ weather: A bit better

Wednesday will feature warmer temperatures and lighter winds, making for a slightly better weather day.

Highs should reach the upper 40s to around 50 degrees. Still below normal for this time of year. Top wind gusts will be closer to 20 mph than 40 mph.

Skies will be partly sunny, with possible flurries.

Thursday NJ weather: Sunny but still brisk

Unfortunately, the wind will not fully die down for some time to come. Thursday stays brisk, with temperatures still on the cool side, reaching about 50 degrees. At least it will be a sunny and dry day, with wind speeds limited to the "breezy" category.

Friday NJ weather: Watching weekend changes

Friday looks similar to Thursday, near 50 degrees, perhaps with a few extra clouds.

A weak cold front will push temperatures downward for Saturday, knocking highs back into the 40s and keeping winds elevated.

Our next chance for precipitation is modeled to arrive on Sunday. All long-range guidance shows this storm system arriving with some warmer air — so for now, this looks to be a rainmaker rather than a prolific wintry weather threat.

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