The radar still shows rain sliding through the state. So far about a half inch of water has collected in our rain gauges. The peak wind gust has been 43 mph so far at the Barnegat Light Coast Guard Station in Ocean County.

We aren’t out of the woods just yet. Rainy and windy conditions will continue for a few more hours and then the winds will change direction. This will begin the drying out process, but also usher in - very quickly I might add - very cold air for tonight. Temperatures could drop 20 to 30 degrees in less than 12 hours.

With rain and wind still taking center billing on the weather marquee, the cold is waiting in the wings for its next shot at weather stardom. Normal wake-up temps are typically right around freezing this time of year. That will be the case on Thursday morning. Morning lows in the low- to mid-30s. The breeze will make it feel much colder though. Prepare yourself for windchills in the 20s. Daytime highs on Thursday don’t recover much despite lots of sun. Highs are a few degrees shy of where they should be. Upper-30s to near 40 (Normal is 43).

The rest of the week is rain-free and winterlike. Friday morning lows will be in the teens and low-20s. Highs peak in the low- to mid-30s. That’s something we’d expect for February. Winter sticks around through Saturday. Clouds begin to roll in. Temperatures slowly begin to rise.

Temperatures on Sunday are back to where they should be. Low 40s It’s possible late showers develop by Sunday night into Monday morning.