Increasing clouds and cooler temperatures on Friday will foreshadow some brisk, grey weather for the first weekend of autumn.

Here are your weather headlines for Friday, September 25, 2015...

Increasing Clouds, Decreasing Temperatures

This week, New Jersey has been stuck between an area of high pressure to the north and a low pressure system sitting off the Carolina coast to the south. This pressure gradient has kept winds brisk and surf rough. But we've generally enjoyed some lovely weather with sunny skies and warm 80° temperatures.

Today's weather, however, will signal that changes are coming. The low to our south will unhinge itself today, and move closer to New Jersey through this weekend. Clouds have already begun filling in the skies over New Jersey, and they will continue to thicken throughout Friday. Meanwhile, the occasional breeze will become stronger today, with gusts to 25 mph (especially along the Jersey Shore). Because of the increased clouds and the stepped-up winds, temperatures will be somewhat cooler day. Afternoon high temperatures will be limited to the lower 70s - still near-normal for late September, so not a terrible day overall.

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One potential issue surrounds tonight's high tide along New Jersey's southern coast. A Coastal Flood Advisory has been issued for Cape May and Cumberland counties this evening, from 5 p.m. to Midnight. Due to an unusually high tide cycle, minor flooding of low-lying areas may necessitate some road closures tonight.

Some Rain and Wind This Weekend

The bottom line... This weekend won't be too pretty, but it certainly won't be a washout.

On Saturday, mostly cloudy to overcast skies throughout the day. The brisk east-northeast wind will strengthen as well, gusting as high as 30 mph (again, especially along the coast). While there could be an isolated shower at any given time on Saturday, I think we will stay mostly (if not totally) dry for the first half of the weekend. High temperatures will only reach about the 70° mark.

Sunday should be the wettest day of the weekend, but again it will not rain all day in any given location. Scattered showers are likely from about 8 a.m. Sunday right through the evening hours. While the entire state could see at least a few showers on Sunday, raindrops will be more likely in the southern part of New Jersey. Models have steered away from any kind of heavy rain, but a period of steady rain will be possible at some point on Sunday, especially late in the day. The best chance for this steady rain will be in the southeast corner of the Garden State. Rainfall totals will be around a half-inch or less.

Additionally, some gusty winds will compound Sunday's dreary weather, with 35+ mph gusts possible. Highs will be in the upper 60s in the cloudiest wettest areas, and in the lower 70s for the driest spots.

Next Week

Aside from a few lingering showers on Monday, New Jersey's weather will enjoy a clearing, drying, and warming trend for early next week. Monday will still be breezy, but high temperatures should recover to the lower 70s. By Tuesday and Wednesday, as sunshine takes over the sky again, we could very well see a few 80s on thermometers again.

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

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