Sunshine, warm temperatures, light winds, and dry weather will make for a pleasant Thursday, but a series of fronts will bring rain and a cooldown to NJ.

Map image courtesy: College of DuPage Meteorology
Map image courtesy: College of DuPage Meteorology
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So far, May 2016 has gone down in history as a rainy, cloudy, cool period for the Garden State. That was true once again on Wednesday in South Jersey, as overcast skies and wet weather made for another dreary day. Meanwhile, North Jersey enjoyed sunshine and 70s.

I'm happy to report that all 21 counties of New Jersey will get a taste of nice, warm weather on Thursday! Skies will range from mostly to partly sunny, with inland high temperatures in the lower to mid 70s. (Maybe even a few numbers near 80 degrees in central and southern NJ?) Winds will be very light, except along the coast where even a tiny sea breeze will keep coastal communities cooler. The Jersey Shore will mostly top out in the 60s on Thursday afternoon, but 70+ isn't out of the question.

The forecast heading into the weekend unfortunately won't be as nice. But it won't be a washout either.

By Friday morning, the skies over New Jersey will be mostly cloudy. There could be a few rain showers around during the morning hours, but the higher rain chances will come later in the day Friday. As a cold front sweeps through the state between about Noon and 6 p.m. Friday, a line of steady to heavy rain will be possible. The day is not going to be a washout - any given location will probably see just an hour or two of rain, before drier air filters in to clear out the moisture and the skies.

High temperatures on Friday should be somewhere in the neighborhood of 70 degrees. At least that part of the forecast will be pleasant and comfortable, as we'll be close to normal for mid-May.

Saturday morning looks OK, with a mix of sun and clouds, a stiff southwesterly breeze, and thermometers rising to the lower 70s by midday. However, another storm system meanders through New Jersey from Saturday afternoon through Saturday evening, bringing another round of showers and thunderstorms. Again, not a washout, but you might want the umbrella handy.

We'll finally get another sunny, dry day on Sunday, but the forecast isn't all lollipops and gumdrops. Cooler air will prevent temperatures from climbing much above 60 degrees on Sunday afternoon. That's about 10 degrees below normal for mid-May. Furthermore, a brisk wind will keep the cooler air moving around Sunday.

High pressure will continue for Monday and Tuesday, keeping our weather dry and keeping temperatures just below seasonal normals. It looks like temperatures will spike higher on Wednesday, amidst some showers and thunderstorms. 80 degrees is a distinct possibility, but it's still too early to pinpoint with certainty.

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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