Weekend Warm-Up Sets Stage for Thunderstorms on Sunday

What a month it has been in Central Jersey. Over a course of 12 days, five storms moved through the Garden State including four of the winter variety. Those winter storms brought a mixture of snow, sleet, and freezing rain. Keep in mind that we haven’t even officially started winter yet. The season starts tomorrow although meteorological winter already began on December 1st.

In those four winter storms, the first three had increasing snowfall amounts. The highest so far this season came on December 14th when Northwestern Middlesex County received 4.5 inches of the white stuff. Total snowfall amounts from the four storms totaled about 9 inches. Storms on December 8th and December 17th brought with them a bit of ice accumulation as well. The storm on December 17th had a bit more ice accumulation. Since Tuesday though, temperatures have been on the climb.

After only a high of 30 on Tuesday, the mercury as steadily risen with highs of 36 on Wednesday and 43 on Thursday. As of the time of this report, the temperature at GWC in South Plainfield was at 40 degrees. The thermometer is expected to continue rising with highs getting into the mid 50s today (Friday) and Saturday, and into the upper 60s on Sunday. This late week, and weekend warm-up sets the stage for our next storm system to be a rain maker with the possibility of thunderstorms. Areas in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast could get severe storms and even tornadoes.

At least there will be heavy rain here in New Jersey. Combine the expected rainfall with the melting snow due to the warming temperatures, and you have the ingredients for flooding. Prior to that, there will be some areas of patchy fog, especially in locations where there is snow cover. After the coming storm system exits the area on Monday, temperatures will drop again into the mid 30s for highs on Tuesday. Christmas is expected to be sunny, but temperatures dipping into the low 30s before some moderation by the end of the week.