Memorial Day weekend is off to a perfect start – warm inland, cool ocean breezes on the beach and sunny skies all around – but the Monday holiday could bring severe thunderstorms.
According to the National Weather Service, Monmouth and Ocean counties can expect temperatures in the 80s inland and 70 degrees on the Shore on Saturday and Sunday, with the chance of rain increasing from Sunday night into Monday.
The warm weather is “above normal, but not excessive,” said Sarah Johnson, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Mount Holly. “It kind of feels like it’s a lot warmer because we had such a long period earlier this month where it was a little bit below normal.”
The weather will receive more attention than usual this weekend. It’s the start of the summer tourism season on the Shore, an annual 14-week sprint that last year generated $8.6 billion for Monmouth and Ocean counties.
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Consumers appear to be gloomier this spring, but observers say that won’t stop them from spending.
AAA predicts that nearly 945,000 New Jersey residents will drive at least 50 miles to their destination, up 4% from last year and the most since 2005. Meanwhile, Jeffrey Childers, a broker at Childers Sotheby’s International Realty in Brick, said his office at last minute an increase in the number of summer rental bookings.
You may want to plan your beach visits and barbecues on Saturdays and Sundays.
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The prognosis:
Saturday: Mostly sunny with highs in the low 70s on the beach and mid 80s inland.
Sunday: Partly sunny with highs in the low 70s on the beach and 80 degrees inland. There is a small chance of showers and thunderstorms on Sunday evening before 8 p.m
Monday: There is a chance of rain and thunderstorms during the day. Rain is likely after 5pm and some storms may produce heavy rainfall.
“There is some risk of heavy rainfall leading to flash flooding, but the greater risk is north and west of you,” Johnson said.
Michael L. Diamond is a business reporter who has written about New Jersey’s economy and health care industry for more than two decades. He can be reached at mdiamond@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jersey Shore Memorial Day weekend weather: Sunny start, rain on the way
