The Bottom Line

Get ready for a taste of summer! The big warmup kicks in Tuesday, which looks like a splendid spring day. And then Wednesday will be unseasonably warm and humid, with near-record high temperatures. Our weather will turn unsettled through the second half of the week. And we will cool to more seasonable temps by the first weekend of May.

Tuesday

Temperatures, humidity, and cloud cover going up. Wind speed going down. Summertime vibes going up too.

We are starting the day with some frosty spots, as temperatures have fallen to about the 40 degree mark. Those numbers will bump up quickly mid-morning Tuesday, with a forecast high around 70 degrees.

There are two places in New Jersey that will miss that 70 mark. North Jersey will be naturally cooler, probably in the mid 60s. And the lighter ambient wind will allow the “sea breeze machine” to fire up, keeping coastal communities closer to 60 degrees.

While we had some early morning showers and sprinkles, the rest of the day will be dry. Skies will range from mostly sunny (morning) to partly sunny (afternoon).

Overall, a really nice day.

Rising dew points and increasing clouds are expected Tuesday night. Both of those factors will prevent temperatures from dropping below the 50s overnight. You may not need a jacket at all.

Wednesday

The warmest day of the week. And as dew points continue to rise into the 60s by the afternoon, it’s going to feel a bit humid and sticky too.

My latest forecast puts high temperatures in the lower to mid 80s across New Jersey. That is almost 20 degrees above normal for late April. And we’ll be very close to record highs on Wednesday too. (Records are 90 at Newark and 88 at Atlantic City, both set in 2009.)

Skies will be a mix of clouds and sun. And even though forecast models keep New Jersey mainly dry throughout Wednesday, I have to include the chance for a shower or popup thunderstorm at some point. The ingredients are there - instability/energy and moisture. All we need is a spark - that’s lift caused by topography, a sea breeze front, or an approaching cold front - and we get an isolated storm cell.

Perhaps the most notable piece of this warm streak will be Wednesday night, as low temperatures only dip into the mid 60s or so. That would be a typical mid-summer night!

Thursday

Still warm, but unsettled. I think we’ll face several (2 to 3) waves of scattered showers. In between raindrops, it will be mostly cloudy to overcast. Breezy too.

High temperatures will average mid 70s across the state. With a little bit of sun, I could see 80s popping up in inland South Jersey again.

Friday

The big changeover day. As a strong cold front arrives from the west, one more push of (potentially heavy) rain will come through New Jersey during the daytime hours.

While the calendar day high temperature should still hit lower 70s Friday morning, thermometers will take a dive through the afternoon as cooler air returns. A gusty wind will kick up, out of the northwest, possibly as high as 40 mph.

So, whether because of rain or blustery conditions, Friday really isn’t looking like a pleasant day.

The Weekend & Beyond

As temperatures settle back to seasonable levels, we should carve out some decent weather to start the month of May (on Saturday).

Mostly sunny, breezy, and lower 60s on Saturday. Partly sunny and upper 60s would make Sunday a very nice day.

Only 34 days until Memorial Day, and 54 days until the Summer Solstice!

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

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