It will be another very warm and humid day for the Garden State - will the warmth and pleasant weather stick around for the Memorial Day Weekend?

HRRR model temperature forecast for Thursday afternoon, showing widespread ~90 degree temperatures across New Jersey. (Map: College of DuPage Meteorology)
HRRR model temperature forecast for Thursday afternoon, showing widespread ~90 degree temperatures across New Jersey. (Map: College of DuPage Meteorology)
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Well, I guess it's time to stop hesitating and waffling about the upcoming holiday weekend! New Jersey's weather is looking nice and warm for this "unofficial start of summer", but it won't be without hiccups. A few showers and storms and a slow cooldown are expected over the next five days.

Just like Wednesday, Thursday is looking very warm for New Jersey with high temperatures in the upper 80s to around 90 degrees. That's still about 10 to 15 degrees above normal for late May. Today's record highs are 96 at Newark, 94 at Trenton, and 93 at Atlantic City.

Unlike Wednesday, humidity levels will rise by Thursday afternoon making the day pretty muggy. We'll add a few clouds to the mix too, and maybe a late-day shower too.

Another Code Orange Air Quality Alert has been posted for 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday due to the stagnant air and anticipated elevated levels of ground-level ozone. (Ozone is totally normal in the stratosphere, but it is considered pollution close to the ground.) For most New Jerseyans, a Code Orange frankly means nothing. However, those usually sensitive to poor air quality should limit outdoor activity. This includes the very young, the very old, and those with breathing difficulties.

Thursday night should be comfortable and mild, with low temperatures falling into the mid 60s or so. An isolated shower chance continues overnight.

Friday is also looking nice and warm, with partly sunny skies and highs in the mid 80s. However, there's a good chance we'll see a round of scattered and thunderstorms around Friday afternoon. Not everyone in New Jersey will get wet, but it could turn into a pretty unsettled afternoon.

And then along comes the big Memorial Day Weekend and, again, our forecast is looking pretty good. An area of high pressure well to our northeast will dominate the weather pattern for the Northeast United States. But if that high pressure pushes a "backdoor cold front" into New Jersey, it would lead to a significantly cloudier, wetter, and cooler forecast. For now, we're going forward with a forecast where that front does not directly impact the Garden State.

So thermometers will stay warm to kickoff the holiday weekend, with forecast highs in the mid to upper 80s for Saturday. Sunshine should be plentiful on Saturday.

We'll continue to see sunshine to start Sunday, but clouds will likely increase later in the day. We should hold onto widespread 80s for one more day.

Honestly, I can't rule out a spot shower or thunderstorm any day this holiday week, but the best rain chances will occur on Friday and on Memorial Day Monday. I'm not sure we'll be able to nail down that timing much better even as the weekend approaches. So it's probably wise to keep an eye on the sky while at the beach, the barbecue, and the Memorial Day ceremonies this weekend.

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

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