Wonderful, warming weather carries through the weekend for NJ

The Bottom Line

What a week it's been, huh? Cool, crisp mornings. Beautiful, comfortable afternoons. After such a hot, wet summer overall, it is a treat we sorely needed. And deserve!

There are some subtle changes in the forecast, as we barrel into the final full weekend of August. Namely, warmer temperatures. But this is just a correction to seasonable (near-normal) summertime warmth. The weekend should stay trouble-free.

Our next chance of rain should hold off until Monday. And even then, it is not going to be an all-day, all-state, washout — just semi-unsettled.

Friday

Just like the rest of the week, there's not much to say about Friday's forecast.

With high pressure directly overhead, clouds stay away, humidity remains low, and winds will be dead-calm.

It is another cool, crisp morning with temperatures in the 50s. So if you have been reaching for a light jacket or sweatshirt other mornings this week, you will want to do it again now.

The rest of Friday will be sunny and dry, with high temperatures around 80 degrees. That's it. Literally nothing to complain about — a gorgeous August day.

A few clouds may creep into the sky Friday night, but it will be pleasant and comfortable. Low temperatures will dip to around the 60-degree mark.

Saturday

Again, the one change for this weekend is a warmup to more seasonable, summerlike weather.

We should see a pleasant mix of sun and clouds overhead. High temperatures will reach about 80 to 85 degrees. That is right on the normal high for late August. Humidity will stay nice and low, making for another beautiful summer day.

Sunday

Sunday looks good too. Although humidity will tick up slightly, with dew points into the lower 60s. That is just enough to make the air feel slightly thicker and stickier. (Especially at night.)

Highs on Sunday will also increase to the mid 80s. I am calling it a mostly sunny day, with lots of blue sky and a few scattered clouds. Again, good stuff.

Monday

All week long, I have been teasing Monday as New Jersey's next chance for rain. And that is still the truth — but the chance of widespread and/or soaking rain continues to go down.

Instead, I think we are just looking at a few sporadic showers and thunderstorms on Monday. Best chance would be late-day.

There will be enough moisture and instability in the atmosphere to sustain one or two stronger storm cells, with localized downpours and/or marginally gusty winds. Just something we will have to watch for.

The rest of Monday will be a continuation of the weekend: Partly sunny, semi-humid, and very warm. Highs will once again reach the 80s.

The Extended Forecast

The forecast for next week gets muddled by a couple weak pieces of energy that could spark off additional showers on Tuesday, Wednesday, and/or Thursday. (Depending which forecast model you believe.) I think we will see some shower activity, but it will be isolated — nobody gets soaked, and there are no washout days.

If that unsettled weather situation does not pan out, I get see a surge of heat late next week. 90s are not out of the question.

Which way our weather leans next week will have a direct influence on how the Labor Day Weekend fares. I do not want to take a stay at that outlook just yet — it is a very low confidence call at this point.

Programming Note

It's vacation time! I am taking off for my annual "last week of summer vacation" stay-cation, to spend time with my kids before they head back to school. I will be away from the weather center from Saturday 8/24 through Labor Day Monday 9/2.

You won't hear my voice on the radio, but the rest of our intrepid weather team will have your latest forecast updates, every 15 minutes as always. The weather page on our web site and app will still update daily — although a little later than usual.

My weather blog will take a hiatus, and my social media feeds will be relatively quiet. Unless, of course, a big storm comes along — in which case, you'll be among the first to know!

Have a great week. And, as The Happenings said...

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