NJ weather: Warming into the 70s, then rain returns

The Bottom Line

Over the course of the last week, New Jersey has experienced flooding, damaging winds, accumulating snow, earthquakes, and a solar eclipse. Jeez, can't Mother Nature just take a chill pill or something?!

We will find ourselves in a beautiful slice of the atmosphere on Tuesday. An influx of warm air will push temperatures into the widespread 70s. You might need a jacket early on, but certainly not in the afternoon.

Mild temperatures will stay for a few more days. However, the rest of the workweek will bring a return of unsettled weather. That means April showers and April thunderstorms, clouds and generally "blah" conditions. There are no "washout" days in the forecast, but you will have to dodge hit-or-miss raindrops.

The wettest, stormiest period of weather coming up looks to be Thursday night to Friday morning.

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Tuesday

Nice and warm. And dry, during the day.

Tuesday morning is starting with temperatures mainly in the 40s. Already noticeably warmer than Monday morning, by about 10 to 15 degrees.

High temperatures are forecast to reach about 70 to 75 degrees for most of the state Tuesday afternoon. The immediate coast will be cooler, especially on barrier islands, closer to 60. The big question in my mind is just how warm inland NJ could go — given plentiful peeks of sun, I would not rule out a few 80s.

Keep in mind, normal high temperatures here in mid-April are around 60 degrees. So when we're talking about thermometers rising into the 70s, it is more typical of a mid-May day. Nice and warm!

Sky cover will be similar to Monday too, as we start relatively bright but end relatively drab. Let's call it partly to mostly cloudy. Winds will be light. Humidity stays low. And our weather will stay dry.

Tuesday evening looks good too, although a shower is possible after about Midnight, especially to the north. Overnight lows will dip to around 50 degrees.

Wednesday

Not a pretty day. But not a washout and still mild, at least.

Passing showers may dampen your Wednesday morning commute, especially to the north. There's even a chance for a thunderstorm with isolated downpour.

Past Noon on Wednesday, rain chances dial back. Skies will still be mostly cloudy to overcast.

The high temperature forecast is tricky for Wednesday. I have settled on calling it "mainly 60s". But realistically, the northwestern corner of the state could be stuck in the 50s. Meanwhile, with a peek of sun, South Jersey could hit 70+ degrees again.

Thursday

Same story, different day. Grey and mild, with an increasing chance of rain. Not a washout though, which is an improvement over previous outlooks.

A spot shower is possible Thursday morning or afternoon, under cloudy skies. High temperatures will average mid 60s. You will probably feel an increasing southeasterly breeze.

The best chance of rain of this period is expected to arrive late Thursday. Now, will that be 5 p.m. or 11 p.m. Thursday? I can not say for sure yet.

That rain will linger into Friday morning. And there is reason for a raised eyebrow here. Atmospheric parameters seem to be coming into line to present a marginal threat of thunderstorms, localized downpours, and possibly some gusty winds. Something to watch carefully as the week rolls on.

Friday

Once the morning rain and thunderstorms exit, New Jersey's weather should dry out for a little while.

Even though Friday will feature clearing skies, it does look like a windy day. Top gusts over 30 mph will usher in a new, cooler air mass. I think we will still see seasonable high temperatures around the 60-degree mark — but thermometers may stay to slip backward through the afternoon.

The Weekend & Beyond

Saturday looks OK for the time-being. I can't rule out a quick shower in the early morning. Then it will be a mostly sunny and breezy day. High temperatures will come down to the mid 50s or so. A one-day trip to below-normal territory.

Sunday will be warmer, back in the 70s. But one or two quick spurts of rain are possible too. Best chance at the moment would be around dinnertime.

Overall, the next week features several "flavors" of springtime weather, from warm to wet. Can't complain too much about that!

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