NJ’s weather forecast contains temperatures both in the 40s and the 80s

Thursday will be the coolest day of the week, and likely the coolest of the season so far. Having said that, a lighter breeze than Wednesday will make it feel somewhat less chilly and blustery, so overall it should be a pleasant autumn day. Grab a jacket in the morning, with lots of 40s across the interior of New Jersey to start. Afternoon high temperatures are forecast to reach the mid 60s or so. We will warm to around 70 on Friday and then to near 80 this weekend, with lots of sunshine and dry weather along the way. Drought and fire danger concerns are starting to spiral again — but for now, we do get to enjoy some pretty spectacular weather.

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Thursday NJ weather: Calm, cool, and crisp

We are really riding the "roller coaster of autumn" this week. And Thursday is the bottom of the dip — the coolest morning of the week, and the coolest afternoon. That is not necessarily a bad thing. It is just going to feel like fall around New Jersey.

Temperatures started Thursday morning in the 40s and 50s. Highs will reach the mid 60s or so Thursday afternoon, which is a smidge below normal for early October. Winds will be a bit calmer than Wednesday, which will make the cool air more comfortable. It will be dry and crisp, with sunshine and a few clouds. No weather issues for you at all.

Big waves do continue to batter the Jersey Shore, however. Hurricane Imelda has scraped past Bermuda, and is now becoming post-tropical. The storm is racing toward the northern Atlantic, but the ocean is still all churned up. It looks like our coastal flooding threat is over, but rough surf and rip currents will be a concern for another day or two.

If you will be out and about Thursday evening, you will definitely want a jacket or sweater as low temperatures dip into the upper 40s. That is a statewide average — we could once again see some 30s in NW NJ and the Pine Barrens, while urban corridors and coastal areas will be more insulated closer to 60 degrees.

Friday NJ weather: A nice October day

By Friday morning, winds will shift from northerly to a southwesterly direction. That is a warming wind, so our next warmup is ready to kick in.

Friday morning will be partly sunny, but the afternoon will feature bright blue skies. High temperatures should bounce back to a seasonable 70 degrees. Again, dry and calm. A beautiful October day all around.

Saturday NJ weather: Warming up

By this weekend, we really have to start calling our weather downright "warm" again. Expect lots of sunshine on Saturday, with that light southwest breeze continuing. High temperatures will push into the upper 70s to around 80 degrees.

Humidity levels will stay nice and low. But you will sweat a bit, especially in direct sunshine.

Sunday NJ weather: Sunny and summery

Sunday will hit about 80 degrees for a high, again with bright, sunny skies. Monday too.

Changes will come by the middle of next week, as a cold front inches toward New Jersey. Tuesday will stay warm, near 80 degrees. But it will become cloudier and noticeably more humid throughout the day. Our next chance of rain will come Tuesday night into Wednesday. Nothing heavy — probably a half-inch to an inch of total rainfall — but there could be a period of 24 to 36 hours of generally unsettled, inclement weather.

Beyond that cold front, we will probably step downward to an overall cooler weather pattern through the middle part of October. That is not to say we will not hit 80s again for the year, but they will become more and more unlikely the closer we get to winter.

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