Mixed weather news for Easter weekend in NJ: Warm air returns, rain does too

Weather improvements Friday will be slow but noticeable. Morning clouds and fog will give way to peeks of sun in the afternoon, as temperatures for most of the state climb back into the 70s. Northern and coastal New Jersey will probably end up a bit cooler. Saturday looks like a nice, warm day with a touch of humidity in the air, again in the 70s. While I can't rule out a spot shower somewhere, we should generally see partly sunny skies with a strong breeze. Easter Sunday will be a bit problematic, with a cold front sweeping through New Jersey. That will lead to a few hours of showers and thunderstorms right in the middle of the day, followed by a breezy cooldown. Highs on Sunday will be in the upper 60s or so. By Monday, we'll only reach the lower to mid 50s. Dry and seasonably cool weather will be the story for at least the first half of next week.

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Friday NJ weather: Slow improvements

Our long, tortuous, unbearable one-day cooldown is over — phew! Temperatures will warm right back up by Friday afternoon. But we will have to be patient, as it will take a while for brighter skies to resume.

Friday morning is a continuation of Thursday's cloudy, drizzling, foggy weather. Temperatures are in the chilly 40s — right where they were 24 hours ago.

Even though the day begins in "jacket weather" territory, it will not end there. By midday into the afternoon, we should start seeing some peeks of sun. And temperatures should start to rise, ending up in the lower 70s for most of New Jersey. Northern and coastal parts of the state will be cooler, hopefully ending up in the 60s by day's end.

No matter where you are, Friday afternoon will be nicer and more comfortable than Thursday afternoon. And definitely warmer, probably by 20 or 30 degrees.

With the renewed warmth and a slight rise in humidity, Friday night will stay mild. Look for low temperatures around 60 degrees. Keep in mind that is above our normal high temperature for this time of year. No jacket required.

Saturday NJ weather: A nice spring day

I am still calling Saturday a nice, warm day. Although there could be a couple minor hiccups.

High temperatures will once again surge into the 70s Saturday, under pleasant partly sunny skies.

Hiccup #1: I can not rule out a spot shower at some point, either either Saturday morning or in the late afternoon time frame.

Hiccup #2: It looks like a prominent on-shore breeze will kick up late day. Since ocean temperatures are no higher than the 50s right now, that wind would have a definite cooling influence on New Jersey's air temperatures. So thermometers may start to slide downward late-day.

Sunday NJ weather: Turning wet then cooler

Easter Sunday gets tricky, as a cold front is poised to slide through New Jersey. As usual, that means rain and a breezy cooldown is on the way.

If you have outdoor activities Sunday, you have a chance of squeezing them in in the early morning hours. By around 10 a.m., rain chances will start to ramp up along NJ's western border.

Prime time for raindrops will be from about 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It will only rain for a couple hours in any given location, but everyone in New Jersey will likely get wet with a quarter-inch to half-inch of total rainfall. Rumbles of thunder are possible, but I don't think the timing and intensity of these storms will be conducive to organized severe weather. We're really just getting wet.

High temperatures on Sunday will average upper 60s around the state. (Southern areas could still reach 70+ degrees.) But a cooling breeze will drive temps downward through the afternoon.

By Sunday night, non-coastal and non-urban parts of the state could dip into the chilly 30s.

Monday NJ weather: Turning dry and cool

If next week is your Spring Break week, it is looking dry but cool (at least to start).

Monday turns bright and sunny, with a fresh breeze. High temperatures will only reach the lower to mid 50s. A far cry from the multiple days in the 70s and 80s of the week prior. And a bit below normal for early April.

Tuesday and Wednesday will be the bottom of the barrel of this cool snap, with highs around 50 degrees. Morning lows will be in the frosty 20s and 30s. There could even be some flurries flying around, but not substantial snow or snow accumulations are expected.

Long-range models show a return to 60s and 70s late next week, as we continue to ride the roller coaster of spring.

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