Jersey Shore Memorial Day weekend weather: Sunny start, rain on the horizon

Memorial Day weekend is off to a picture-perfect start — warm inland, a cool sea breeze at the beach, and sunny skies all around — but the Monday holiday could bring heavy thunderstorms.

Monmouth and Ocean counties can expect temperatures in the 80s inland and 70s at the Shore on Saturday and Sunday with the chances of rain picking up Sunday night into Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

The warm weather is "above normal, but not excessively so," said Sarah Johnson, a 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 where it was a little below normal earlier this month."

The weather is commanding more attention this weekend than usual. It's the start of the Shore's summer tourism season, an annual 14-week sprint that last year generated $8.6 billion for Monmouth and Ocean counties.

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Consumers this spring appear to be gloomier, but observers say it isn't stopping them from spending money.

AAA predicts nearly 945,000 New Jerseyans will drive at least 50 miles to their destination, 4% more than last year and the most since 2005. Meanwhile, Jeffrey Childers, broker with Childers Sotheby's International Realty in Brick, said his office saw a last-minute surge in summer rental bookings.

You might want to get your beach visits and barbecues in on Saturday and Sunday.

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The forecast:

Saturday: Mostly sunny with highs near 70 at the beach and mid-80s inland.

Sunday: Partly sunny with highs near 70 at the beach and 80s inland. There is a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms Sunday night before 8 p.m.

Monday: There is a chance of showers and thunderstorms throughout the day. Rain is likely after 5 p.m. and some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall.

"There's some risk for heavy rain leading to flash flooding, but the higher risk is going to be north and west of you," Johnson said.

Michael L. Diamond is a business reporter who has been writing about the New Jersey economy and health care industry for more than 20 years. He can be reached at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jersey Shore Memorial Day weekend weather: Sunny start, rain coming