Severe Storms, Strong Winds To Hit NJ: See Timing, Impacts

Severe thunderstorms with damaging winds are in store for the Garden State Friday as weather experiences a dramatic shift, according to the latest forecast.

"We've got a bit of a wild weather ride ahead of us, with much warmer air moving in by this afternoon, a stormy evening, then windy and colder weather with a chance of frost in much of the area by tomorrow night," the National Weather Service said Friday.

Light showers and clouds across New Jersey Friday morning will break up and temperatures will reach the upper-70s to low-80s by afternoon, National Weather Service forecasters said. Conditions will get more humid as well.

Severe weather moves in during the late afternoon into evening. Northwestern Jersey will see storms around 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Central Jersey around 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and South Jersey from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The entire state is under a marginal risk for severe weather, level 2 out of 5. This severe weather may appear in the form of a squall line heading west to east.

The risk of severe weather will drop after sunset.

Gusty winds will develop overnight, ranging from 15 mph to 25 mph with 25 mph to 35 mph gusts, according to the National Weather Service.

Saturday will be much cooler and drier. Winds will diminish Saturday night.

Temperatures will further drop overnight Saturday, reaching at or below freezing in the northwestern corner of the state, National Weather Service forecasters said. In Central and South Jersey, lows will hit the mid-30s. At the coast, it will be in the upper-30s to mid-40s.

Widespread frost will likely be limited to the far northern reaches, though patchy frost is possible across inland New Jersey, especially in the Pine Barrens.

Temperatures will moderate back to near normal Sunday.