The Bottom Line
We made it! I have been calling Friday the nicest day of the week. And it truly looks beautiful, from start to finish. A comfortable morning, followed by a warm and sunny afternoon. The major key to success here is low humidity, as dew points bottom-out in the 50s.
We are about to dive into the 9th of 15 summer weekends (from Memorial Day to Labor Day). And the bulk of the weekend forecast looks good.
There is only one hiccup we have to talk about over the weekend, as a mini storm system slides past New Jersey on Saturday. Spotty showers are possible. Maybe even a thunderstorm. But raindrops should only affect a few hours, if that. And the risk of severe weather is low.
Temperatures and humidity levels will nudge upward for Sunday and Monday. Then our next wholesale weather change arrives by midweek, with a return of steamy, stormy weather conditions.
Get our free mobile app
Friday
Look, I know New Jerseyans love to complain. And there has been plenty to whine about this week, from heat to humidity to thunderstorms. But today? Don't you dare.
Friday will be sunny and dry. And most importantly, not humid.
We are starting off with temperatures mainly in the 60s. (Some 50s in the northwest hills, a few 70s along the southern coast.)
High temps will reach about 80 to 85 degrees. The Jersey Shore will enjoy a lovely sea breeze, keeping thermometers in the 70s.
JERSEY SHORE REPORT: Friday 7/19
And that is it. New Jersey's weather really does not get better than this in mid-summer. (Keep in mind, this is on average the hottest time of year for the state.)
Friday evening will be equally delightful, as skies stay mainly clear and the air stays comfortable. Look for lows in the 60s again by Saturday morning.
Saturday
Here's the situation for Saturday. A front will be stalled just south of New Jersey. That boundary is responsible for keeping humid air away ... for now.
But a shortwave, a little storm system, will ride along that frontal boundary on Saturday. That will lead to increased cloud cover and a chance of rain.
Honestly, an isolated shower or sprinkle is possible at almost any point on Saturday. The best forcing for spotty showers and even a thunderstorm will be centered on the early evening "dinnertime" hours. Given the track of this system, rain chances and totals are expected to be highest in southern NJ.
For the rest of Saturday, expect a mix of clouds and some sun. And high temperatures again in the lower-mid 80s.
Dew points will creep up to around 60. That is still in the low-moderate range.
Sunday
Sunday's forecast is trending dry, but also slightly warmer and more humid.
Under partly sunny skies, high temps will reach the upper 80s. A couple spots in inland South Jersey could touch 90 degrees.
Monday
I am keeping a dry outlook for one more day on Monday. It will be a sticky summer day, with highs in the upper 80s to around 90. That is a couple degrees above seasonal normals.
Skies will turn mostly cloudy by Monday afternoon.
Tuesday & Beyond
Starting on Tuesday, we will taste a different flavor of typical summertime weather: Humid and unsettled.
It will not be "hot" — daily high temperatures will stay in the 80s.
However, dew points will ramp up into the 70s, making it feel quite tropical again. And definitely making you sweat outside.
We will also experience a daily chance of thunderstorms from Tuesday through about Friday, as a front stalls in NJ's neighborhood. It is not going to rain persistently during that entire time period. But after several rounds of storms, we could pick up substantial multi-inch rainfall by the end of the week. Good for drought, bad for flooding concerns.
5 DAY FORECAST: New Jersey Weather Center
LOOK: How Many of These Classic Summer Toys Do You Remember?
If you grew up in the Wild West of the '60s, '70s, or '80s, summer toys were a lifeline because many of us were locked outside (until the street lights came on). Inside was no place for a kid! Check out these classic summer toys that kept us cool, kept us busy, and always seemed to add a dash of danger.
Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz
Dan Zarrow is Chief Meteorologist for Townsquare Media New Jersey. Follow him on Facebook for the latest forecast and realtime weather updates.
LOOK: Here are the 50 best beach towns in America
Every beach town has its share of pluses and minuses, which got us thinking about what makes a beach town the best one to live in. To find out, Stacker consulted data from WalletHub, released June 17, 2020, that compares U.S. beach towns. Ratings are based on six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education and health, and quality of life. The cities ranged in population from 10,000 to 150,000, but they had to have at least one local beach listed on TripAdvisor. Read the full methodology here. From those rankings, we selected the top 50. Readers who live in California and Florida will be unsurprised to learn that many of towns featured here are in one of those two states.
Keep reading to see if your favorite beach town made the cut.
Gallery Credit: Keri Wiginton
