'Quick-Moving' Thanksgiving Storm To Disrupt Travel: See NJ Timeline

NEW JERSEY — A quick-moving Thanksgiving storm will gain strength Wednesday night into Thursday, drenching the Garden State and possibly disrupting Thanksgiving Day travel plans, according to the latest forecast.

The storm will grow in strength as it heads to the East Coast, according to AccuWeather meteorologists, though New Jersey will be spared from the severity and snowfall expected in the Great Lakes and New England.

Rain will arrive early Thursday and become "a solid shield of rain for the first half of your Thanksgiving holiday," the National Weather Service said. The heaviest of rain will fall between 6 a.m. and 12 p.m. for most of New Jersey (see timeline below).

Depending on your location, you may see a quarter-inch to one inch of rainfall.

The National Weather Service said we could see some drying later in the day, but it will likely stay cloudy, so don't expect to see any Turkey Day sunshine.

Cooler temperatures are in store as well, in the mid-40s up north and inching warmer towards 60 degrees in South Jersey.

This will lead to a dry and frigid period, as Arctic air brings in below-normal temperatures starting Black Friday and into next week at least. Expect temperatures between 10 and 15 degrees below normal, according to the National Weather Service.

Here's the latest forecast.

North Jersey

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 51. West wind around 5 mph.

Wednesday Night: Rain likely, mainly after 4 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Thanksgiving Day: Rain. High near 47. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 31. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 45. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 26.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 41.

Central Jersey

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 51. West wind around 5 mph.

Wednesday Night: Rain likely, mainly after 4 a.m. Increasing clouds, with a low around 39. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Thanksgiving Day: Rain. High near 50. Northeast wind 5 to 15 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 30. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 48. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 25.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 41.

South Jersey

Wednesday: Increasing clouds, with a high near 53. West wind around 5 mph.

Wednesday Night: Rain likely, mainly after 4 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Thanksgiving Day: Rain, mainly before 1 p.m. High near 54. East wind 5 to 15 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 31. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 48. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 25.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 41.