Warming Through the Weekend, But Cold Air on the Horizon Again for NJ

Temperatures will continue to slowly increase with scattered rain chances this weekend, but early next week will be a very different story.

Here are your weather headlines for Thursday, January 7, 2016...

Slow Warming Trend

Yesterday was momentous, as our temperatures finally climbed out of the basement and reached above freezing, marking the end of the temporary arctic blast. Yesterday's highs were actually close to normal, on either side of 40 degrees. Temperatures will continue to slowly rise through this weekend.

High temperatures today will be highly dependent on just how much sunshine vs. cloud cover we see. Thermometers this afternoon should reach the lower to mid 40s. Additionally, I can't rule out a few sprinkles today, being spit out from a storm system out in the Atlantic. I have already seen a few light radar echoes in South Jersey, but anything that falls from the sky today will remain very light.

As clouds continue to increase on Friday, temperatures will too. Highs will reach the mid to upper 40s to end the workweek.

Rain This Weekend

All week long, we have been tracking a storm system for early Saturday morning. At this point, frankly, it looks like a fizzle. Regardless, a shower will be possible on Saturday, especially in the morning hours. It will be almost exclusively rain (if anything at all). As temperatures fall to about the freezing mark around sunrise on Saturday in the higher elevations around Sussex County, I can't rule out a bit of wintry mix. Any icing impacts should be minimal.

The rest of Saturday will be cloudy and somewhat breezy, as temperatures bump into the upper 40s to lower 50s.

A more significant storm system will arrive by Sunday morning. A period of steady rain is forecast from about 10 p.m. Saturday through Noon Sunday. It's just rain. There is no winter threat here - temperatures will be way above freezing as an injection of warmer air accompanies the rain. Rainfall totals could reach an inch across New Jersey.

Next Week: Cold and Snowy?

Behind the rain will come a front... Behind the front will come... Another arctic blast! Oh yes, it will be another frigid back-to-work Monday.

Monday's highs will likely be limited to the 30s. A brisk wind, around 25 mph, will push the wind chill ("feels like") temperature into the teens and 20s all day.

Tuesday stays chilly too, although winds should lighten and highs will be closer to that normal point of 40 degrees.

And then Wednesday gets very interesting. Models continue to show a clipper system pushing through New Jersey around Wednesday morning. With the cold air in place, this will present a chance for snow. Raw model output actually shows 0.3" to 1.2" of snowfall, with the heaviest amounts in North Jersey. Will it actually materialize? Will it all be snow? Will it all accumulate on the ground? These are questions that can't be answered with high confidence until 48 to 72 hours in advance. For now, the situation is definitely worth watching!

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