Ah, but it was so much rainier then — it’s sunnier than that now

On this anniversary of my birth, I've had the lyrics of the Bob Dylan classic "My Back Pages" running through my head. And while Tuesday's weather in the Garden State was nowhere near as profound, it did surprise me when the sun came out, at least in my neck of the woods, for a sizable portion of the day.

The narrative all week has been that Monday was going to be bright and sunny (it was), and then we'd be gloomy all through the end of the week, if not well into the weekend. But Tuesday wound up being quite nice — and warm. Does Wednesday have any tricks up its sleeve?

Unfortunately, according to the data we're reading, that answer is no. Cooler temperatures should prevail on this first day of May (why, hello, James Taylor), with plenty of clouds and showers around. Temperatures won't get much higher than the low 60s, and will settle mostly in the 50s.

Thankfully, Wednesday night into Thursday shouldn't fall too far off that plateau. Overnight lows will still be in the 50s, as pockets of light rain and drizzle pop up.

Thursday could wind up much like Tuesday, with the sun trying to peek through some clouds, and hold off scattered showers and thunderstorms. Temperatures will vary greatly, from the mid-60s in northeast New Jersey to the lower 80s southwest, though most of the state will feel 70s.

There is no good news on Friday; showers and thunderstorms all day, with the temperature gradient staying basically the same, from northeast mid-60s to southwest upper 70s.

Patrick Lavery turns 32 today. There, he said it. He is the Senior Producer of Morning News and Special Programming for New Jersey 101.5, lead reporter and substitute anchor for "New Jersey's First News," and is filling in for Chief Meteorologist Dan Zarrow, who is on vacation and returns Monday, May 6.

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