The forecast for the Garden State through next week includes a mix of wet, dry, cloudy, sunny, cool, and warm weather.

Here are your weather headlines for Friday, April 29, 2016...

Friday: Stray Showers

Thursday was plagued by thick clouds and occasional showers all day, with rain totals reaching up to 0.30" (Hamilton Twp, Mercer Co.) We'll keep the overcast skies for Friday, although models suggest the sun will try to peak out from behind the clouds just before sunset. As expected, radar is also lighting up with a few very light, isolated showers. Stray showers and sprinkles are expected to continue through Friday, but it will feel like a mostly dry day. (Umbrellas probably not needed.)

Meanwhile, temperatures on Friday will be nearly a repeat of Thursday. (In fact, I opted for a "persistence" forecast, for which I use yesterday's actual observed high temperatures for today's forecast numbers. They'll be that similar.) Highs will be limited to the mid to upper 50s, probably cool enough to need a jacket all day.

Saturday: Dry Daytime

All week, I've been promoting Saturday as the one gleaming hope of a pleasant day in an otherwise grey, cool forecast. And I'm holding to that assertion - during the daytime hours, at least.

Skies will become partly sunny by Saturday morning, and temperatures will warm as a result. Look for high temperatures in the lower 60s. The Jersey Shore will probably get stuck in the 50s, with a light sea breeze kicking up. Inland portions of South Jersey may approach the mid 60s. Even though high temperatures will remain a few degrees below normal, with dry skies from sunrise to sunset, it should be a pretty pleasant day.

Sunday: Potential Washout

Don't get used to Saturday's nice weather, as rain showers return to the forecast by Saturday night. And Sunday, unfortunately, isn't looking pretty.

Another storm system is expected to pass over New Jersey from around 8 p.m. Saturday through Sunday afternoon (at least). The heaviest rain is expected on Sunday morning, around 8 a.m. A few isolated rumbles of thunder will be possible, but the threat for severe weather will be very low.

The bottom line: persistent, steady rain may make for washout conditions for most of Sunday across the entire state of New Jersey. If there's any hope for dry weather on Sunday, it would be late afternoon and evening, as the storm system departs.

Monday: Finally Some Clearing

We'll have one more shot of rain early Monday morning. And, with a bit of instability in the atmosphere, there could be a few thunderstorms in the mix. I think by around midday on Monday, skies will (finally) start to clear out and we'll (finally) enjoy a period of drier, warmer weather.

Highs on Monday are forecast to reach the lower 60s. As winds shift around to a west-southwest direction, thermometers will continue warming through midweek. Tuesday's highs are forecast to reach the upper 60s, with near-70 degree temperatures on Wednesday.

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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