It is cold out there! A month ago, a widespread freeze would have been the norm. But here we are, April 17, talking about 20s and 30s on the temperature map. Not very nice, Mother Nature.

Everywhere but the immediate coast and urban core has frozen Friday morning. And it's going to be another cool, jacket weather day as highs only reach the upper 40s to around 50 degrees. That is 10 to 15 degrees below seasonal normals. While skies will be sunny and dry to start Friday, clouds will start to build ahead of our next storm system.

Showers may creep in from the west starting around Friday mid-afternoon, with pockets of steadier rain likely starting Friday evening. Rainfall intensity will be light to occasionally moderate, with rainfall totals generally between a tenth and a quarter of an inch. The steadiest rain will be found in the northern half of New Jersey.

The NAM model forecast for 11 p.m. Friday night shows everyone in New Jersey getting wet. (College of DuPage Meteorology)
The NAM model forecast for 11 p.m. Friday night shows everyone in New Jersey getting wet. (College of DuPage Meteorology)
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It is worth mentioning that it may be cold enough to sustain some mixed snowflakes in far northern New Jersey only after sunset Friday night. I don't think temperatures will get quite cold enough for an all snow situation, and travel impacts and accumulations seem unlikely here. (Although just north of New Jersey, along a swath from Binghamton to Albany to Boston, several inches of snowfall is probable!)

Additionally, I have to keep a gusty wind potential in the back of my mind. Models show a screaming low-level jet — a batch of fast winds just above the surface. If the rain allows that rain to "mix" down to the surface, we could see some 30 to 40 mph wind gusts. Not destructive, but noticeable. Best chance of wind will be the southern half of New Jersey.

Showers will taper off around mid-to-late morning on Saturday. So the weekend won't be a total wash, as we get partial clearing Saturday afternoon. A cool breeze will keep temperatures in the lower 50s or so. Still below normal.

Sunday will be the warmer and nicer day of the weekend, as highs bump into the lower 60s. We'll enjoy lots of sunshine, before clouds build in late Sunday afternoon.

Sunday's daytime hours look dry, but our next weak disturbance is forecast to arrive late Sunday night, technically early Monday morning. Another batch of rain will make for a damp start to Monday. But again, it won't be an all-day affair. As skies clear, temps should once again come close to the seasonable 60-degree mark.

Tuesday's forecast looks generally pleasant, with mostly sunny skies and highs back in the 60s. However, a "classic" cold front will push through NJ around Tuesday afternoon, introducing a quick hit of rain and wind.

Wednesday will be cool and breezy. Thursday will be warmer and cloudier, with a chance of rain.

Have a great weekend, stay safe and healthy! "See" you Monday.

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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