NJ weather: 48 hours of unsettled weather, clouds, humidity, rain

The Bottom Line

Unfortunately, we're losing the bright blue sky and beautiful weather of the last three days.

There are three substantial rain chances in New Jersey's weather forecast through the rest of the week. Tuesday night, Wednesday night, and Saturday. The first looks just a little bit wet. The second will be more impactful, with downpours and thunderstorms possible. And weekend rain is never welcome this time of year.

Meanwhile, clouds and our arch-nemesis humidity will be on the rise too.

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Tuesday

Changes are afoot. Skies are turning mostly cloudy. And a stiff southerly breeze will kick up, especially Tuesday afternoon, potentially gusting over 20 mph. Meanwhile, dew points will creep from the 50s to the 60s, feeling "stickier" by the end of the day too. And we do have to talk about some rain chances.

Despite all that negative news, Tuesday morning is starting off quite comfortable. Early morning temperatures are primarily in the 50s, with some 60s for cities and coast.

We'll top out around 75 to 80 degrees Tuesday afternoon. Seasonably warm.

So you'll do OK at Jersey Shore beaches for most of Tuesday. Just keep in mind, there is a Moderate Risk of dangerous rip currents posted. Really just a precaution, as the remnants of Tropical Storm Alex spit some swell our way.

As of this writing (6 a.m.), a batch of rain is pushing through western Pennsylvania, ahead of a frontal boundary that will arrive in New Jersey Tuesday night.

A shower may creep in as early as mid-afternoon (3 p.m. or so). And then we'll all potentially get wet with scattered to spotty rain through Tuesday evening and overnight. Nothing crazy here — we do not need to ring alarm bells for severe weather, flooding, or even lightning/thunder. Just wet weather.

It's going to stay breezy and muggy overnight, preventing temperatures from falling below the mid 60s.

Wednesday

The overnight rain should exit by daybreak Wednesday. So we'll start the day with periods of sun and clouds. And it will be warm and humid, with highs spiking into the lower 80s.

The next batch of rain, arriving Wednesday night, is looking more impactful and more serious than the previous one. Some models are spitting out multiple inches of rain over a swath of New Jersey. Although our ground is fairly dry and "thirsty" at the moment, a big downpour could lead to ponding and flooding issues. Rumbles of thunder are possible Wednesday night too, although severe weather (wind, hail, tornado) seems unlikely.

Thursday

Thursday morning looks quite wet, as steady to heavy rain continues. By mid-morning — let's say 10 a.m. — our weather will dry out, and skies will start to clear.

So Thursday will turn into a nice day, with partial sunshine through the afternoon. High temperatures will remain consistent, around the 80-degree mark.

Friday

No complaints about Friday. It will be partly sunny, dry, and seasonably warm. Look for a high temperature again near 80.

The Weekend & Beyond

This time of year, we are always keeping an eagle eye on the weekend. And unfortunately, I do not like what I see this time around.

Specifically, on Saturday, it looks like we are going to see a batch of rain come into play. Now, the jury is still out about whether that will be 3 to 6 hours of wet or all-day washout. For now, Sunday looks better. Of course, we'll continue to dial in the forecast for the weekend as it gets a little closer.

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