The Bottom Line

Parts of New Jersey were soaked by over 3 inches of rain between Wednesday and Thursday. As that storm system pulls away, we are going to see and feel vast improvements to our weather by Friday afternoon. And that sets us up for a pleasant — although somewhat cool and crisp — start to the next-to-last weekend of summer.

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Friday

As of this writing (5:30 a.m.), there are still spotty showers and patches of drizzle around the state. But at least the steady, soaking rain is long gone. Patchy dense fog has also formed, thanks to the abundant ground-level moisture and the continuing high humidity.

By about 9 a.m., we'll start seeing improvements as fog mixes out, raindrops exit, and skies start to clear. You might feel a brief northerly breeze too, as our cooler, drier air "whooshes" in. I am still confident it will turn into a nice afternoon, with high temperatures in the mid 70s. (Temperatures in the 70s are my favorite!)

A Moderate risk of rip currents and rough surf continues along the Jersey Shore, with 3 to 4 foot ocean waves Friday.

Friday evening will be pleasant, and the overnight will be clear, crisp, and pretty cool. Most of the state will dip into the 55 to 60 degree range overnight. NW NJ could see 40s by Saturday morning. (Not the first time that's happened this season, but it's still quite unseasonable.)

Saturday

Dry air and mostly/partly sunny skies? Great news. Temperatures 5 to 10 degrees below normal? A little taste of fall. Certainly a nice day — I'm just not sure it'll be a good beach day, with the cool temps and a breeze coming off the ocean.

Sunday

Looking better. It will become cloudier, muggier, and a bit warmer than Monday. And we're still facing a few showers passing through in the afternoon and evening time frame. But the rain intensity and spread has come down over the past few models runs. Part of the state might actually stay dry all day.

Monday

Another cold front will once again open the door to a northerly breeze, along with drier air. We'll hold onto warmth Monday, with highs close to 80 degrees. Skies will progress from clouds to sun, as humidity dials way back again. Nothing much to complain about.

Tuesday & Beyond

I am see hints of fall-ish weather through next week. I usually call it "the roller coaster of autumn" — some warmer days, some cooler days, and a few little bursts of rain and wind. Tuesday will be cool, with highs near 70. Sunny and bone-dry though — another delightful taste of early fall. Mid 70s on Wednesday. Near 80 on Thursday. Really nice all around! In fact, barring any tropical storms or moisture coming into play, the second half of September should remain relatively quiet and dry.

Speaking of the tropics, they're still on fire. Still watching Tropical Storm Paulette and Tropical Storm Rene. Still way out there. Still no imminent threat to New Jersey or the United States.

Have a great weekend!

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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