NJ’s weather finally turns around, as May winds down this week

The Bottom Line

As the holiday weekend comes to an end, and New Jerseyans head back to work and school, it is time for some big weather improvements. The pesky stalled front that led to persistent clouds and rain throughout the weekend will finally go away soon, allowing for drier weather, clearer skies, and more comfortable temperatures. Tuesday will be warm and fairly sticky, as temperatures come close to 80 degrees. The only rain chance will be some sprinkles clipping far southern New Jersey. Wednesday looks a bit more unsettled, with a few waves of showers and maybe a thunderstorm. It is going to be a very warm and humid day, with widespread 80s on thermometers. Thursday will be the big turning point of the week, as the sun comes out and the air gets more comfortable. Our weather should be fairly pleasant and seasonable through the final few days of May.

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Weather Hazards

We are gradually transitioning to a quieter weather pattern, so there is little threat for dangerous weather conditions. Rainfall opportunities will be limited, so there is very low risk of localized flooding. Wednesday's showers could include a rumble of thunder, but the chance of severe thunderstorms remains very low. Overall, there are no major storm systems on the horizon, and hazardous weather concerns are minimal through the next seven days at least.

Climatological Context

May 26 is the 146st day of 2026.

Normal afternoon high temperatures are now right at 75 degrees across New Jersey. Normal morning low temperatures range between 55 and 57.

On average, May is the 5th warmest, 5th driest, and 8th snowiest month of the year.

Tuesday

Yes, it's Tuesday — not Monday! (I have already screwed that up several times this morning.)

Back to work and back to school — and right on cue, the weather finally starts cooperating.

Early morning temperatures are mainly in the 60s. There are a few pockets of fog around the Garden State — a symptom of some humidity already noticeable in the air.

Expect mixed sun and clouds through the day. The farther north you go, the brighter the sky will be. Most of New Jersey will stay completely dry. Really the only chance for raindrops will be a few passing sprinkles across the southern edge of the state.

High temperatures will reach the upper 70s to around 80 degrees, making this the warmest day since last week's brief heat wave for many locations.

Tuesday night stays mild and quiet, with scattered clouds and some fog. Low temperatures will settle into the mid 60s. No jacket required.

Wednesday

Wednesday will definitely be warm and humid. And unsettled too. Likely our wettest day left this week, although that is a relative term.

Skies will be mostly cloudy. And a couple rounds of showers are expected to move across the state during the day. An isolated thunderstorm is possible too. However, it will not rain all day. The dry hours will be pretty sticky and summerlike, with temperatures climbing into the lower 80s across most of New Jersey.

Thursday

Thursday is the real turning point of the week. As we finally taste drier air, sunshine will become more abundant and humidity levels will drop like a stone.

I can't rule out a quick shower around midday Thursday. Otherwise, expect partly sunny skies. Temperatures will reach the mid 70s. It should be a comfortable and refreshing day overall.

Friday & Beyond

I am loving Friday's forecast, with mostly sunny skies and highs in the mid 70s. That is right on the normal for late May.

The weekend trends a bit on the cool side.

For Saturday, we could see widespread 40s in the morning, followed by a high of only around 70 degrees. Maybe a bit too cool for the beach and pool, especially given the stiff northerly breeze. But still quite comfortable and pleasant. Both the GFS and Euro model show a spot shower over NJ Saturday morning — but our air will be pretty dry to support anything big.

Sunday will again make it to around 70 degrees, before temps trend back into the 70s to begin June on Monday. Our next widespread wholesale rain chance will not come along until some time next week.

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