Will Hurricane Idalia Remnants Dampen NJ’s Labor Day? See Forecast

NEW JERSEY — It has been an active week in the Atlantic Ocean for hurricanes and tropical storms, with Hurricane Franklin and Hurricane Idalia targeting communities farther south. New Jersey residents will have an eye on the weather this Labor Day Weekend as they head out to the beach, the park, or to other events to celebrate the unofficial end of summer.

Thursday again brings a risk of high rip currents at beaches along the East Coast. And there is a coastal flood advisory for some areas until 2 a.m. Friday, as the high tide cycle could flood roads in bayside and coastal communities, and along inland tidal waterways.

But overall, forecasters said Franklin and Idalia's impacts on weather in the Garden State should be very limited this Labor Day weekend.

Franklin, which has been responsible for the rough surf and dangerous rip currents up the coast this week, has now reduced in strength as it moves northeast of Bermuda. Meanwhile, Hurricane Idalia has caused "significant damage" in Florida's Big Bend region and moved north into the Carolinas on Thursday. Its current track should keep it south of New Jersey.

"Strengthening high pressure slowly meandering east across the the Great Lakes will extend its axis south into our region on Thursday," said the National Weather Service. "This will help to steer Idalia away from our region and push it offshore of the Carolinas."

Friday and Saturday will feature "very tranquil and seasonable weather," forecasters said. Temperatures will be slightly below normal and under 80 degrees, with "comfortable" humidity levels.

Looking ahead to Sunday and beyond, forecasters predict a return to hot and dry weather. Temperatures look to be in the low-to-mid 90s on Monday around the state.

"Dry and increasingly hot weather will be the story for the end of the weekend into at least the first 2 to 3 days of the coming week," said the National Weather Service.

Idalia could "meander offshore" for a time during the holiday weekend and much of next week and weaken to a tropical rainstorm, AccuWeather added. But, the storm could gather more strength out in the ocean and possibly impact the U.S. later next week:

"...there is the chance the system regenerates as waters over much of the western Atlantic are rather warm," AccuWeather forecasters said. "Steering breezes could draw Idalia back toward the U.S. at some point late next week."

Here is an extended forecast for New Jersey from the National Weather Service:

North Jersey

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 75. North wind around 11 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 52. North wind around 7 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 77. Northeast wind around 6 mph.

Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 55. Light and variable wind.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 80. Calm wind becoming southwest 5 to 7 mph in the morning.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 60.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 88.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 65.

Labor Day: Sunny, with a high near 91.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 68.

Central Jersey

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 78. Northeast wind around 10 mph.

Thursday night: Clear, with a low around 56. North wind around 5 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 79. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 54. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 82. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 60.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 89.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 67.

Labor Day: Sunny, with a high near 94.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 68.

South Jersey

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. Northeast wind around 10 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 55. North wind around 5 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 79. Northeast wind around 10 mph.

Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 52. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 79. North wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 58.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 86.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 65.

Labor Day: Sunny, with a high near 93.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 68.