The Bottom Line

I think it's safe to say this stretch of unsettled, humid weather isn't exactly typical for late October. As promised, our "stuck" storm system is running out of gas. So Wednesday will be our last murky day of the week. (And it will still be brighter and warmer than Tuesday.)

A cold front arrives late Wednesday, leading to a quick burst of showers and then a dry-out and cooldown. The timing of that front has shifted notably earlier.

That means skies will clear in time for a mostly sunny Thursday. Temperatures will turn more seasonable through the final weekend of October. And there are no "big" storm systems on the horizon to worry about..

Wednesday

Once again, we're stuck in pea soup Wednesday morning. The fog is even thicker and more widespread than Tursday morning. Visibility is below a quarter-mile in many spots across southern and central NJ, so sloooow iiiit doooown.

The timeline of the fog's departure is about the same as the last couple of days. As temperatures increase slightly after sunrise, visibility will slowly improve. And then the last vestiges of fog should lift by late morning (10 a.m. to Noon).

For the rest of Wednesday, we'll see mostly cloudy skies. That "mostly cloudy" description still allows for peeks of sun. And that will cause temperatures to soar into the lower 70s. Pretty sticky, especially with the relatively high humidity. I think you'll be happiest without a jacket.

I can't rule out a bit of drizzly mist and/or a sprinkle at some point Wednesday. The best chance for a few showers will accompany our eventual cold front in the late afternoon to early evening hours. Let's say 3 p.m to 10 p.m. (Again, earlier than previously expected.)

Don't expect much — heavy rain is unlikely, and showers will be isolated to spotty.

Behind the front, we will tap into a slightly cooler and much drier air mass. So dew points will start to slide backwards overnight. But it won't get that cold. Lows will average lower 50s by Thursday morning. (Yes, some 40s in the coolest corners of NJ.)

Thursday

A nice late October day. The only potential weather nuisance is a stiff breeze, occasionally gusting over 20 mph. That wind will blow out of the northwest to start, shifting to a northeasterly direction by the afternoon.

The earlier arrival of that cold front means we should see mostly sunny skies by mid-morning Thursday. The air will be dry, and so will our weather — a nice change of pace. And high temperatures will be close to normal for this time of year, settling in the lower to mid 60s.

Friday

Friday morning looks chilly. 30s in NW NJ and the Pine Barrens would be cold enough for frost. The rest of the state will begin the day in jacket-weather 40s.

Friday may be the coolest day of the week, with high temperatures limited to the upper 50s. We'll see periods of sun and clouds.

There is one big question mark for Friday (and beyond). Another ocean-based storm system will spit some clouds and possibly some drizzle toward the coast. At the moment, I'm leaning away from a damp forecast — but it is still something to watch.

Saturday

The final weekend of October looks OK. Saturday probably will be the nicer day, once again with pockets of bright sunshine mixed with some clouds. A breeze off the ocean will keep temperatures seasonable, in the lower 60s.

Sunday

Cloud cover will increase Sunday. And we'll keep a light easterly (on-shore) breeze. But temperatures should be similar to Saturday, just above the 60 degree mark. No big issues.

The Extended Forecast

The beginning of the extended forecast is Monday, October 31st — Halloween. Easily one of the most important forecasts of the year. Because... candy.

Latest model guidance now paints a few showers over New Jersey during the daytime hours Monday. Not a washout, and no "dangerous" weather involved. Just potentially damp.

Monday's spotty showers turns to scattered rain for the start of November on Tuesday. I still favor Tuesday to be the wetter day of the two. But it is precarious for trick-or-treaters. We will keep you posted, of course.

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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