Rainy Post-Thanksgiving Travel Day Ahead: NWS

NEW JERSEY - Commuters and out-of-town travelers alike should be prepared for a rainy Friday morning after Thanksgiving, forecasters said.

A cold front coming in from the west is expected to usher in showers in the Garden State starting around 6 a.m. into the early afternoon, which will be followed by gusty winds, clear skies and minor possible flooding in coastal areas Friday evening, the National Weather Service said.

“If you decide to head outside this morning to try and burn some of those Thanksgiving calories, consider grabbing an umbrella or jacket as rain has begun moving through the area,” the weather agency said in a statement. “We expect the rain to remain light and move offshore by early afternoon.”

Forecast rainfall totals should only reach up to a quarter of an inch, with areas in southern New Jersey near Cape May expected to see the most precipitation, forecasters said. The last of the showers are slated to drift off the southern New Jersey shore by 1 or 2 p.m.

However, as of 7:30 a.m., there’s still a hazardous weather outlook in effect through Friday night, per the National Weather Service, with additional minor coastal flooding possible on Sunday. The affected counties are:

• Middlesex
• Burlington
• Ocean
• Monmouth
• Atlantic
• Cape May
• Cumberland

Temperatures will jump from overnight 20s in some areas to the 40s and mid-50s Friday afternoon, forecasters added, which will thicken high clouds blanketing the region.

The rest of the week appears to be a mixed bag, with sunny skies expected Saturday and rain slated for Sunday – though precipitation should move offshore by Sunday night with clear skies in the forecast for Monday and Tuesday.

Here’s the latest forecast, per the National Weather Service:

Friday: Showers, mainly before 1 p.m. High near 54. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 33. West wind 5 to 15 mph.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 53. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 37. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Sunday: Rain, mainly after 1 p.m. High near 61. South wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Sunday Night: A chance of rain before 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.