It's a rite of autumn: the final First News get-to-the-beach forecast of the summer. Tuesday, when Dan returns, we'll be back on the "bus stop" forecast schedule at 5:19 and 5:49, although for a brief spell the weather will remain good enough to get a beach day in if you can.

I'll have him tell you more about that, though. For now, our rain chances are now extending into Sunday as the Labor Day weekend outlook worsens somewhat, but again, the next few days should not be total washouts.

Friday could in fact be the worst of the bunch. Daytime hours will bring mostly cloudy skies, with scattered showers and a few thunderstorms possible, and highs in the mid- to upper 70s. At night, there will be rain showers at times under overcast skies — with some thunder possible — and low temperatures in the mid- to upper 60s.

Saturday turns partly sunny, with just a slight chance for showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. It'll be a little warmer, highs climbing into the upper 70s to near 80. As mentioned, Sunday now carries a minimal chance for late-day storms as well, and the temperature continues to climb, well into the mid-80s by that point.

As of this moment, Labor Day itself looks clear, or at least dry, as does Tuesday, with another late-summer temperature upswing due over those two days. Dan will be able to refine that for you a little more ... if you're not cooped up in a classroom all day.

Meteorologist Dan Zarrow is on vacation and returns Tuesday, Sept. 4. Patrick Lavery is Senior Producer of Morning News and Special Programming for New Jersey 101.5, and is lead reporter and substitute anchor for "New Jersey's First News."

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