Sick of NJ’s rainy weather? I have good news and bad news

The Bottom Line

Over the last four days, parts of New Jersey have picked up more than six inches of rain. That is a lot of rain.

No matter where in the state you are, I suspect you are tired of our recent stretch of rainy, drizzly, misty, cloudy, breezy, cool weather.

The good news: It's over. Ophelia is out of here, allowing for dry weather and brighter skies on Wednesday.

The bad news: The dry weather only lasts a day. Clouds and rain return late Thursday into Friday. And temperatures remain well below normal for late September.

The great news: The "blah" weather also only lasts a day. The upcoming weekend looks fantastic, with sunshine and warming temperatures.

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Wednesday

A pleasant day! A dry day! A nice change of pace after the extended stretch of damp and dreary weather.

Sunshine will build to the north Wednesday, while clouds will linger to the south. So most of NJ will see a mix of both throughout the day. The coast will remain breezy, with gusts around the 20 mph. That breeze is still northeasterly — an on-shore wind — keeping temperatures on the cool side yet again.

High temperatures are forecast to reach the mid 60s Wednesday afternoon. Better than Tuesday. But still notably below normal for the closing days of September.

The ocean remains rough, with 4 to 8 foot waves still pounding the beaches Wednesday. But the coastal flooding threat will be much lower — only a few vulnerable spots will poke a few inches above flood stage Wednesday evening.

Wednesday night stays quiet and cool, with scattered clouds. Low temperature will range between 45 and 55 degrees. We'll call that "around 50".

Thursday

Most of the day will be fine. Clouds thicken up again, causing temperatures to tick downward a degree or two. But still in the 60s.

By late afternoon into the evening hours, I do have to add the chance for rain showers. Mainly in the southern half of the state. This is ahead of our next storm system, that could drive in steadier rain late Thursday night.

Friday

"Blah" weather is back. But only for one day this time around.

As I mentioned, periods of rain and drizzle look likely for Friday. Heaviest totals look to fall along the Jersey Shore, perhaps up to an inch or more if it really pours. While I would not classify Friday as a "total washout," it does not look like a nice day.

High temperatures will once again end up in the lower to mid 60s.

The Weekend & Beyond

Starting this weekend, high pressure should build over New Jersey. And finally, our wind shifts away from the ocean, allowing temperatures to warm up.

Saturday will transition from clouds to sun, with dry weather and a light breeze. High temperatures should rise to the seasonable 70 to 75 degree range.

Sunday is even brighter and even warmer. 75 to 80 degrees with sunshine.

For now, I'll keep warm, sunny weather in the forecast for Monday and Tuesday too. Temperatures will flirt with 80 degrees each day. Definitely a warm start to October.

We are still keeping a close eye on the tropical Atlantic, even though we are on the backside of hurricane season now. Tropical Storm Philippe is encountering unfavorable conditions, and is expected to weaken in the coming days. It will pass Puerto Rico early next week. Meanwhile, another tropical wave is right on Philippe's heels. If it develops into a tropical storm, the next name on the list for 2023 is Rina.

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