Rain could dampen Thanksgiving travel plans for New Jersey

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Thanksgiving travel in New Jersey could be complicated by rain, especially on Thanksgiving Wednesday evening. Today’s weather has already brought morning showers, with the rain easing by late morning.

Temperatures are expected to peak at around 18°C, accompanied by gusty winds from the south turning westwards, with gusts of up to 40km/h. Rainfall totals are expected to be less than a tenth of an inch, providing some relief for the remainder of the day.

There will be a significant cooling down tonight, with mostly clear skies and lows around 33°F. The wind will be slightly calmer, coming from the west at speeds of 5 to 10 miles per hour. Conditions should continue to improve through Wednesday, bringing mostly sunny skies and highs around 52°F, a fairly average temperature for late November in New Jersey.

However, a calm day will give way to a wetter night, with rain likely after 4am on Thursday. Expect mostly cloudy skies and lows around 39°F, with calm winds changing to light easterlies. Rainfall totals during this period could range from a tenth to a quarter of an inch.

Thanksgiving Day itself will likely be dominated by rain, with precipitation expected to taper off by late afternoon. Temperatures are around 53°F during the day, broadly in line with seasonal norms.

Winds will begin from the east but change to westerly at 5 to 10 miles per hour in the afternoon. Rainfall could be significant, with new amounts ranging from half an inch to three-quarters of an inch. The chance of rain will decrease significantly Thursday evening, with lingering showers possible before 7 p.m. and lows falling back to 33°F overnight. Rainfall will be light during this time, expected to be less than a tenth of an inch.

While these conditions may not bring heavy rainfall, the timing of the rain, particularly during peak travel periods on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, could cause delays on roads and airports. Travelers should expect wet conditions, limited visibility and possible traffic congestion, especially during the heaviest rainfall on Thanksgiving morning.