Stormy Start To 2025 In Store For NJ: Latest Forecast

NEW JERSEY — As New Jersey says goodbye to 2024 and hello to 2025, we can expect plenty of rain and possibly even an unusual for this time of year thunderstorm, according to the latest forecast.

Unsettled weather is in the forecast for the next week, the National Weather Service said Thursday.

Freezing rain could fall Friday night along the I-195 corridor, forecasters said. The chance for freezing rain is 30 to 50 percent, and if precipitation holds off until just after sunrise Saturday, it should just be plain rain, according to the National Weather Service.

Then, there will be on and off rain showers Saturday and Sunday across the entire state. Warmer temperatures mean that wintry precipitation isn't in the cards. What is possible, though, is embedded thunderstorms Sunday night. This would be "very unusual" for this time of year, according to the National Weather Service, but not impossible.

New Year's Eve on Tuesday will likely be wet as well.

"There can be a storm that arrives New Year's Eve or New Year's Day that has the potential to produce a mix of rain and snow for the Northeast, with all rain farther south," AccuWeatherLead Long-Range Expert Paul Pastelok said. "Rain could arrive before the ball drops in Times Square, but the timing of that remains in flux and something we will continue to monitor."

Here's the latest forecast.

North Jersey

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 36. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning.

Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 18. Calm wind.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 39. Calm wind.

Friday Night: A chance of freezing rain after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 27. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.

Saturday: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 42. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Saturday Night: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 38. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Sunday: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 56. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent.

Sunday Night: Showers. Low around 46. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.

Monday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 56. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 35.

Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 50.

Tuesday Night: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

New Year's Day: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent.

Central Jersey

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 37. North wind around 5 mph.

Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 18. Calm wind.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 40. Calm wind.

Friday Night: A chance of freezing rain between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m., then a chance of rain after 4 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Saturday: Rain likely, mainly after 7 a.m. Cloudy, with a high near 46. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Saturday Night: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 41. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Sunday: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 59. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent.

Sunday Night: Showers. Low around 48. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.

Monday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 58. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 35.

Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 53.

Tuesday Night: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

New Year's Day: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 51. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent.

South Jersey

Thursday: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 41. Northeast wind around 5 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 19. Calm wind.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 45. Calm wind.

Friday Night: A chance of rain after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Saturday: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 51. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Saturday Night: A chance of rain. Cloudy, with a low around 46. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Sunday: Rain likely, mainly after 1 p.m. Cloudy, with a high near 61. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

Sunday Night: Showers. Low around 49. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.

Monday: A chance of showers before 1 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 59. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 36.

Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 55.

Tuesday Night: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

New Year's Day: A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 53. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent.