Rainy, breezy, cloudy, cool: Wet weather timeline for NJ

The Bottom Line

Rain, rain, rain. That is pretty much your forecast for Wednesday, Wednesday night, and most of Thursday. An inclement, raw, and generally wet period of weather.

Yes, this is technically a nor'easter. An area of low pressure — a storm system approaching from the southwest — will redevelop off the coast Wednesday night. And another word for a strong coastal storm that drives northeasterly winds is ... nor'easter. If it were wintertime and 20 degrees colder? Yes, we'd be buried in snow. Instead, we get soaked and windswept, with some big waves along the coast.

I am still thinking most of New Jersey will see 1 to 2 inches of total rainfall by late Thursday. Maybe a little less to the south. Maybe some pockets of 2+ inches. Solid rain and big puddles, but little danger of widespread flooding and/or severe weather.

Drier weather resumes for the Memorial Day Weekend. But temperatures will remain on the cool side of normal for the foreseeable future.

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Wednesday

First raindrops arrived in New Jersey right on schedule early Wednesday morning. As of this writing (7 a.m.), spotty showers are slowly spreading statewide.

Overall, Wednesday will be a wet day, with bands of rain sliding through New Jersey. Not a total washout, but inclement and raw. It will be cloudy and breezy and cool.

Thermometers will be stuck around 50 to 55 degrees for the duration — that is about 20 degrees below normal for this time of year. More typical of March than late May.

Wednesday night, the core area of low pressure will transfer its energy to a new storm system developing just off the coast — a classic "nor'easter" pattern. That will potentially lead to an initial lull in rain. But then, overnight, a round of steadier, heavier rain and gustier winds is possible. Temperatures will hover around 50 degrees.

Thursday

Still yucky. Periods of rain and wind will continue.

But I think the rain will become more scattered — more broken apart — by Thursday midday. That means you will find both pockets of wet weather and pockets of dry weather through the afternoon. Best chance of drying out will be to the south.

It is still going to feel damp and dreary. And high temperatures will once again get stuck in the 50s. (If South Jersey really clears out early, temps may pop above 60 degrees.)

Friday

There will be some improvements on Friday. But that nor'easter storm system will still be close enough to keep New Jersey's sky somewhat unsettled.

Spotty drizzle remains possible through about the first half of Friday. Skies will remain mostly cloudy — but that description still allows for some peeks of sun behind the clouds.

High temperatures will reach about 60 degrees on Friday. Still 10+ degrees below normal for late May. But better.

The Memorial Day Weekend

The good news: The holiday weekend is trending mainly dry.

The not-so-good news: It will still be cool.

My latest forecast calls for partly sunny skies (or "a mix of sun and clouds"). High temperatures will range from the lower 60s on Saturday to the mid 60s on Sunday to the upper 60s on Memorial Day Monday.

Those temperatures are below normal for late May. But not awful. They are comfortable. Just a little too cool for the beach or pool, unfortunately.

Forecast models are hinting at a rain chance creeping in from the southwest Monday afternoon. It is not a slam dunk, just worth mentioning at this point.