Fall foliage will be peaking soon, with vivid gold and yellow trees around New Jersey. (Dan Zarrow, Townsquare Media)
Thursday's crisp fall weather was so delightful, let's do it again today. Friday will be sunny and dry, with cool temperatures near 40 in the morning and then lower 60s in the afternoon. It will be less breezy than Thursday to boot. On balance, the weekend looks good too, with a warming trend on the way. Partly sunny and 60s on Saturday. Then reaching into the 70s on Sunday. Rain arrives Sunday night, marking the arrival of cooler air again for Monday.
I have to admit, it is starting to feel like Halloween season around here. The pumpkins and other decorations are right at home in the chilly temperatures. And the brilliant blue skies are such a delightful hallmark of fall too.
Friday is starting chilly, so definitely grab a jacket or sweater as you head out the front door. Morning temperatures are near 40 degrees on average across the state. Expect afternoon highs around 60 to 65 degrees. Technically a hair below normal for this time of year. But with sunshine, dry air, and only a light breeze, there is really nothing to complain about.
Friday evening looks good too, although temperatures will fall off quickly beyond sunset. We will see mainly clear skies overnight with lows in the lower 40s.
The weekend begins with another pleasant and seasonable day on Saturday. Passing clouds will make for a partly sunny day, but it will be dry and quiet. High temperatures will reach for the mid 60s Saturday afternoon.
Sunday will be cloudier. But also pretty warm, as highs push into the lower to even mid 70s by the afternoon. Expect a stiff southerly breeze to kick up during the day too.
Eventually, a cold front will drive a line of rain through New Jersey, from west to east. However, all models are in agreement that will not be during the day Sunday. Rain will hold off until after 9 or 10 p.m. at the earliest -- it is primarily a nighttime rain event. Severe weather is not expected. Even thunder and lightning are unlikely. It is just going to be wet, with rainfall totals on the order of a quarter-inch to half-inch across the state
Spotty to scattered rain showers may linger for a bit Monday morning. Possibly through as late as lunchtime. But once the cold front is through, skies will quickly clear to sunshine.
A new air mass will put an end to the temporary warmup though. Monday's high temperatures will slide backward to the 60s again. Not an "arctic blast" by any stretch of the imagination. But it will be a noticeable difference to Sunday, especially with a chilly breeze kicking in too.
The rest of next week will flip flop between 60s and 70-ish, with a mix of sun and clouds. There may be a hit-or-miss shower or sprinkle around, but there are no widespread rain chances in the forecast beyond Sunday night and Monday morning.