Pair Of Storms Could Hit NJ Ahead Of Thanksgiving

NEW JERSEY — A pair of storms may put a damper on one of the busiest weeks of the year as many plan to travel ahead of Thanksgiving.

"Heavy rain, gusty winds and even snow are expected as a pair of storms is forecast to join forces in the eastern half of the country next week. This could wreak havoc for millions during some of the traditionally busiest hours of pre-Thanksgiving travel," according to Accuweather.

Possibly impacting travels, a pair of storm systems coming from the Canadian border will be making its way east and could bring a variety of impacts along with it.

By late Tuesday and early Wednesday, the storms will merge in the eastern Great Lakes, Appalachians and Eastern Seaboard, spreading heavy rain and gusty winds all the way to the coast, according to Accuweather.

Before the storms approach, New Jersey residents can enjoy some warm weather on Thursday and Friday.

"A very pleasant day is expected after a chilly start. Temperatures warming to near 10° above normal this afternoon. It'll be a little warmer tomorrow, but with increasing clouds. Some light rain will occur Friday night, but nothing to write home about," wrote US National Weather Service Philadelphia/Mount Holly.

Temperatures will hit a high of 65 degrees on Thursday and 67 degrees on Friday before beginning to drop into the low 50s this weekend.

While next week will start with plenty of sunshine and dry weather on Monday, rainy weather will creep in on Tuesday.

"Ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, a soaking storm can track from the central U.S. toward the East, complicating travel plans," AccuWeather Meteorologist Alyssa Glenny said.

More people are expected to travel this Thanksgiving than the previous year, according to AAA, who said 55.4 million travelers will be venturing at least 50 miles from home for Thanksgiving, which would be an increase of 2.3 percent over last year.

The busiest travel days are predicted to be Wednesday, Nov. 22, and the three days after Thanksgiving, according to AAA.

The heaviest rain from the newly-formed storm could be soaking a portion of the East Coast, especially in parts of New England which may coincide with the busiest times to travel between 2 and 6 p.m. on Nov. 22.

However, the exact times for heavy rain are too early to target, says Glenny. She said the speed of the storm will be key in determining when and where the downpours erupt.

"A main factor to monitor with this storm will be how quickly it can exit New England," she said.

For now, let's take a look at the upcoming forecast:

North Jersey

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 65. Southwest wind 5 to 7 mph.

Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 41. Light south wind.

Friday: Increasing clouds, with a high near 65. Light south wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning.

Friday Night: Rain likely, mainly after 1 a.m. Cloudy, with a low around 50. South wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Saturday: A 30 percent chance of rain before 1 p.m. Cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a temperature rising to near 54 by 11 a.m, then falling to around 48 during the remainder of the day. North wind 9 to 16 mph.

Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 34.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 52.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 33

Central Jersey

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 65. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 36. Calm wind.

Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 67. Light south wind increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the morning.

Friday Night: Rain likely, mainly after 1 a.m. Cloudy, with a low around 49. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Saturday: A slight chance of rain before 1 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 54. Breezy, with a northwest wind 10 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 30. Blustery.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 52.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 29.

South Jersey

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 64. West wind around 5 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 43. Southwest wind around 5 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 67. South wind 10 to 15 mph.

Friday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Saturday: A slight chance of rain before 1 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 58. Breezy, with a northwest wind 10 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 31. Blustery.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 55.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 32.