Several flavors of spring weather coming up for NJ: From warm to wet

The Bottom Line

Thursday will be the one and only really nice, warm, trouble-free weather day of the week. (Although wildfire danger is elevated due to sinking relative humidity and a strong breeze.) It will be sunny and dry, with highs in the 70s. Friday looks pretty good, although clouds come into play, I can not rule out a sprinkle, and temperatures turn 10 degrees cooler. And then along some Saturday. An area of low pressure will drive rain through New Jersey for most of the day, totaling a half-inch to an inch. We very much need the rain, but unfortunately the wet weather will come with thick clouds, a stiff breeze, and miserably cool temperatures. Sunday will be the better, brighter day of the weekend although morning showers are still possible.

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Weather Hazards

Saturday's rainfall could exceed an inch in spots, leading to ponding and minor flooding on roadways and in low-lying areas.

Climatological Context

April 23 is the 113th day of 2026.

For this date, normal high temperatures are around 66 degrees across New Jersey. Normal lows are 44 to 47.

April is, on average, New Jersey's sixth coolest, fourth driest, and fifth snowiest month of the year.

Thursday

We have reached the nicest, warmest day of the week — huzzah!

You will want a light jacket or sweater for a few hours in the morning, with temperatures in the 40s to start. And there will be some patchy fog around until mid-morning.

The jacket can go away Thursday afternoon, as thermometers warm to around 70 to 75 degrees under mostly sunny skies. It will be dry and breezy. Just a beautiful spring day all around.

One little wrinkle is elevated wildfire danger, due to low humidity and elevated wind. Yesterday actually marked the one year anniversary of the Jones Road wildfire that burned over 15 thousand acres in southern Ocean County.

Thursday night will be quiet and comfortably cool, with a few clouds building in. Lows will dip to around 50 degrees.

Friday

Friday will be a fine day, just cooler. We will not see 70s. But highs will reach the lower to mid 60s, just below normal for this time of year.

Expect a pleasant mix of sun and clouds. I can't rule out an isolated sprinkle at some point.

Saturday

Saturday will not be a nice weather day. As an area of low pressure tracks over New Jersey, we will see several hours of steady rain throughout the day. It will not be heavy, and severe weather is not expected. But Saturday will be a wet and "yucky" day overall.

Rainfall totals will probably end up between a half-inch and an inch across most of the state. If there is a chance for breaks of drier weather, I think it would be in the morning.

Saturday will be cloudy and breezy and miserably cool too. Temperatures will descend from the 50s to the 40s as the day presses on.

It is worth mentioning that some forecast models put temperatures in the 30s in the higher elevations of North Jersey by Saturday evening, before the rain machine potentially shuts off. That might be cold enough to allow some wet snowflakes to mix in. I highly doubt we are talking about any accumulations or travel impacts. It is just worth mentioning.

Sunday & Beyond

Sunday will be the better, brighter day of the weekend. However, there is a reasonable chance that rain showers linger through the morning.

Eventually, clouds will give way to sun by late Sunday afternoon at the latest. High temperatures will rebound to the upper 50s. Still on the cool side, but better.

Monday will flip back to nice weather, with sunshine and upper 60s. Then Tuesday looks wet and stormy again.

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