Two days of ‘blah’ weather for NJ: Pockets of rain and drizzle

The Bottom Line

After an amazing 3-day stretch of weather, it is time to flip back to that "other" flavor of Spring weather. Damp and dreary.

In fact, we are looking at unsettled weather and daily rain chances for each of the next 4 or 5 days. There are no washout days. And we should pick up a good 1 or 2 inches of total rainfall by the end of the week.

Tuesday and Wednesday will be rather gloomy, due to clouds and pockets of rain.

Thursday and Friday will turn brighter and warmer, although a few thunderstorms are still possible.

The weekend has potential. Although the chance of rain is not zero, and it will turn breezy too.

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Tuesday

Rain is back. Most of New Jersey already has a wet ground from scattered light rain that arrived early Tuesday morning. And there's more wet weather to come.

Several pockets of light rain and drizzle will pass over New Jersey throughout the day Tuesday. We're talking less than a tenth of an inch total.

Even when it is not raining, it will stay misty and cloudy and "blah".

Meanwhile, temperatures will not budge much over the next 24 to 48 hours. We are starting Tuesday morning near 60 degrees. And highs will only reach the mid to upper 60s later on. (Maybe some 70s in SW NJ only.)

Model guidance shows a band of steadier, heavier rain arriving around the Tuesday early evening hours, traveling from south to north. That could lead to a soggy overnight — and could be the overall wettest period of the week. Low temperatures will dip to around 60.

One more item worth mentioning. A Coastal Flood Advisory has been issued for the Delaware River from Salem to Mercer county. (Yes, the mighty Delaware is a tidal waterway.) Water levels are expected to spike just above flood stage, which could be enough for minor flooding and water inundation issues in low-lying areas. Not a big deal, but good to know if you live and/or travel along the bottom half of the Delaware.

Wednesday

Wednesday's weather could be even more dismal than Tuesdays, with raindrops and thick clouds and even cooler temperatures.

The aforementioned band of steady rain could still be over New Jersey into Wednesday morning, leading to a wet start to the day.

But there will be breaks of dry weather on Wednesday, as rain chances taper to just showers by the afternoon. I fully expect skies to stay cloudy and gloomy all day.

High temperatures will only reach the lower to mid 60s.

Thursday

Thursday will be brighter and better. But the daily rain chances continue.

Amid peaks of sun, high temperatures will surge back into the 70s. The air might feel a bit sticky too, as dew points surge past 60.

So you will find plenty of pleasant, warm weather Thursday.

Having said that, the heat and humidity in the air will probably spark some popup showers and thunderstorms Thursday afternoon to early evening. They could be on the strong side, so we will be keeping eyes on the sky.

Friday

Friday looks cloudier but warmer than Thursday. And also a bit stormier, as scattered showers and thunderstorms pop up in the afternoon. I suspect rain coverage will be a bit more widespread.

Highs on Friday will reach for about 80 degrees.

The Weekend & Beyond

There is still a chance of a shower or thunderstorm on Saturday. But there is a good chance that most (if not all) of the day will be dry for you. It will still be warm and relatively humid too, with highs again near 80 degrees.

A cold front is set to arrive early Sunday morning, with a "whoosh" of cooler, drier air. Sunday will be our first mostly sunny day in a while, with a refreshing breeze and seasonable temperatures in the lower 70s. Sounds good to me.

There is nothing eventful showing up long-term for next week. Just some midweek rain, bookended by seasonable temperatures.

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