‘Pumpkin spice’ weather is here, NJ: Unseasonably cool for 3 days

The Bottom Line

Happy 1015 Day! We are at the midpoint of October. And a new burst of cold, dry air has arrived in New Jersey. Monday was quite the blustery day, as temperatures cooled on a brisk wind. "Blustery" became the weather word of the day.

Normal high temperatures here in mid-October are in the upper 60s. But we're talking about 50s in the forecast — about 10 degrees below that long-term average, and more typical of early to mid November.

Cool, dry, breezy weather will keep hold of New Jersey for the next three days — Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Definitely jacket weather. With daily chances of patchy frost too.

And then we warm right back up again, into the 70s by next weekend.

Looking for rain? Too bad. Nothing substantial for the next 10 to 14 days, at least.

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Tuesday

The sun is rising on what will probably be the cloudiest day of the week. We will still see some good peeks of sun behind the clouds. But not the brilliant sunshine usually accompanying a fresh, crisp air mass. The chance of a sprinkle somewhere in the state is low, but not zero.

Tuesday morning begins with temperatures in the upper 30s to lower 40s. A Frost Advisory continues for most inland areas of NJ until 9 a.m.

Remember, frost is almost totally a concern for gardeners and farmers only. Sensitive plants get grumpy when temperatures get cold and ice crystals grow on them. There's no need to "winterize" your house just yet. There will not be slippery spots. But definitely dress appropriately for the little chill in the air.

High temperatures Tuesday will only reach the upper 50s. It will be breezy, but not as windy as Monday afternoon. Top gusts on Tuesday will reach about 20 mph.

Tuesday night will be chilly. And potentially frosty again, away from urban centers and the immediate coast. Low temperatures will dip to the upper 30s to around 40 degrees.

Wednesday

The coolest day of the week.

Under partly sunny skies, it will still be breezy and. High temperatures on Wednesday will be limited to the mid 50s.

A completely dry and reasonably pleasant day. Just cool.

Thursday

One final day on the cool side.

Thursday morning, the Jersey Shore gets teased. A coastal storm system will drive rain showers ever so close to our coastline. But latest model guidance shows a completely dry day.

Skies will become mostly sunny on Thursday, with lighter winds. High temperatures will reach about 60 degrees. Not bad — but still below normal for this time of year.

Friday & Beyond

Here comes the big warmup. With no hesitation, I can say the weather will be gorgeous through the upcoming weekend.

Friday will feature sunny skies and seasonable temperatures. Highs will reach the upper 60s or so. I would not rule out some 70s.

Then on Saturday, just about everyone in NJ will hit 70+ degrees. Again, with brilliant sunshine, completely dry weather, and light winds.

The warmup will carry through Sunday and Monday too, with lower to mid 70s in the forecast.

A cold front will arrive eventually next week, bringing a chance of showers and a cooldown. At the moment, forecast models don't plug that in to New Jersey's forecast until next Thursday.

Such a long period of stagnant, generally pleasant weather — just keep in mind, drought and wildfire danger concerns continue to rise.

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