Wednesday trends drier and warmer, then NJ gets wet again Thursday

Even though we undeniably needed the rain, Tuesday was uncomfortably soggy and raw across New Jersey. Wednesday's weather will trend drier and slightly warmer, although still pretty cloudy. There will still be a few rain showers and sprinkles around, especially in the early evening hours. High temperatures will range from about 45 to 55 degrees Wednesday afternoon, from north to south. Scattered rain will pick up again throughout the day Thursday, and into Thursday night. We could pick up another inch of rainfall. There is no risk of wintry weather here, although a late-day rumble of thunder is possible. Friday dries out, but stays cool and cloudy. And while forecast temperatures trend upward for the weekend, I've had to dial back on the warmth a bit. Mainly 50s on Saturday. Hopefully 60s on Sunday. No 70s in play until next week, if we're lucky.

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Wednesday NJ weather: Trending drier and warmer

While Tuesday was a miserably soggy, raw, cool day across New Jersey, it was necessary. With about 75% of the state officially in drought, we need to play catch-up with some serious as spring approaches here. And rain is also an effective snow melter too, of course.

Wednesday will trend drier, offering a break from the break from the dampness and the gloom. And therefore, it will trend warmer too, by about 10 degrees. I am happy to see these chilly days behind us.

Having said that, Wednesday will not be a completely dry day. We have already seen — and will continue to see — a few stray showers and sprinkles and misty/foggy pockets travel through the state. Plus, skies will remain quite cloudy. If we see any peeks of sun, it would only be in far northern New Jersey in the late afternoon hours.

Temperatures are starting the day in the 30s and 40s, above freezing. Highs will range from about 45 to 55 degrees, from north to south. Again, warmer than Tuesday. And actually close to (or just above) seasonal normals for early March.

The best chance for spotty showers Wednesday will probably come around dinnertime, in the early evening hours. Patchy fog is possible overnight once again too. Low temperatures will dip into the upper 30s or so.

Thursday NJ weather: Scattered rain returns

Rain chances ramp up again for another 24-hour period on Thursday. It will not be a total washout of a day, but everyone in New Jersey will get wet.

It looks like a band of rain will rise from south to north during the day, then return from north to south at night. I do not want to pinpoint that timing or location too finely, as it will be a changing fluid situation. And frankly, it is just going to be a wet, blah day overall. Total rainfall may approach an inch in spots. And there could even be some late-day rumbles of thunder.

One thing definitely missing from Thursday's forecast? Any chance of wintry weather. It's all wet.

There will be a big range of high temperatures on Thursday, based on rain and clouds and marine influence and warmer air to the southwest. I think we'll see upper 30s in far northern New Jersey, but mid 50s in far southern New Jersey. So mainly in the 40s.

Friday NJ weather: Cloudy and cool

By daybreak Friday, we should dry out again, as a backdoor cold front sweeps out the rain and introduces a new air mass. Unfortunately, that new air mass will be a cool, clammy one.

So Friday will stay cloudy. And temperatures will be unseasonably cool to end the workweek, with highs limited to the mid 40s.

This kind of pattern happens a lot in the late winter and early spring. Any time our weather is influenced by that chilly 38-degree ocean, temperatures suffer tremendously.

Saturday NJ weather: Warming up a bit

There is a payoff for this week's unsettled, relatively cool weather. And that is a warmup for the first full weekend of March. However, let's keep expectations in check — I am not sure it will be full-on springlike warmth here.

For now, my forecast puts highs in the 50s on Saturday and hopefully the 60s on Sunday. (Optimistically leaning on the warmer Euro model for Sunday.) We should see a mix of clouds and some sun both days. Just watch for some showers that could creep in late-day Sunday.

If you are looking for sunny skies and true warmth, you will have to wait until next week. By midweek, long-range models suggest at least a day or two of 70s across New Jersey. That means by the middle of next week, snow cover should be down to almost nothing across the state — just the big plow piles and shady spots.

We will likely bounce between warm and cool temperatures, with occasional spurts of wet (not wintry) weather through the middle third of March. There is still no significant snow on the horizon for New Jersey, with the first day of spring just 16 days away now.

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