New Jersey residents can expect quiet conditions Thursday night before a warm front lifts northward, bringing increasing clouds and a chance of rain showers by Friday afternoon.

Temperatures are forecast to rise 10 to 15 degrees above normal, reaching the mid-50s, as a precursor to a wet start to the weekend.

The first round of precipitation is expected to arrive late Friday afternoon into the early evening hours. While rainfall is generally expected to be light during this initial phase, there could be an isolated rumble of thunder, according to forecasters from the National Weather Service.

A cold front will pass through the region overnight, likely creating a lull in the rain showers before the next system arrives.

More widespread rainfall is forecast to return Saturday afternoon and evening as low pressure tracks across the area. During this time, rain could become heavy at times.

Rainfall totals between a half inch and 1.5 inches are predicted across New Jersey through Saturday night. Despite the anticipated volume of water, forecasters say flooding risks should be minimal to none.

Due to the recent stretch of mild temperatures, there is no concern regarding ice jams or river ice hindering runoff.

There is some uncertainty in the forecast regarding specific temperatures and wind speeds for Saturday, the weather service said.

Conditions will change significantly on Sunday as a secondary cold front moves through the region, forecasters said. As the rain clears, strong cold air advection will result in a breezy day, with west to northwest wind gusts peaking in the 30 to 40 mph range.

Temperatures will drop throughout the day, falling into the 20s for most of the area by Sunday night.

Looking ahead to the start of the work week, high pressure will build over the region, bringing dry conditions. Monday and Tuesday are expected to feature clear skies and temperatures near normal for January.

By Tuesday and Wednesday, return flow will develop as high pressure moves off the coast, helping temperatures moderate to about 5 degrees above normal.

No significant weather impacts are expected from Monday through next Thursday.

Current weather radar

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency on Thursday launched a new website aimed at preventing human trafficking and better supporting victims by bringing together resources for first responders, social service providers and members of the public.

The announcement came during Human Trafficking Prevention Month at a roundtable discussion in Philadelphia that included state and local officials, advocates, social service providers and survivors.

The new website, developed with Villanova University’s Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation, provides trauma-informed training materials, guidance on recognizing warning signs of trafficking and information on how to report suspected cases.

“The fight against trafficking begins with coordination and working together to raise awareness of the warning signs, making sure people know where and how to report, strengthening support for survivors, and holding perpetrators accountable,” Kathy Buckley, director of PCCD’s Office of Victims’ Services, said in a press release.

Human trafficking is the crime of using force, fraud or coercion to induce another person to perform labor or sex acts.

According to the Philadelphia Anti-Trafficking Coalition, the number of identified trafficking survivors in the region increased by 23% in 2025 compared to the previous year. The organization cites housing, food assistance, medical care and counseling among the most common needs for survivors

“That’s the goal of our new website and the purpose of this conversation today, shining a light on organizations leading this work and ensuring that all across Pennsylvania, every individual knows there are people and resources dedicated to combating all forms of exploitation,” Buckley said.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 26 states have enacted legislation creating human-trafficking task forces, study groups or similar coordination efforts. Eight of those states — Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri and Rhode Island apply to sex trafficking only, while the others target both labor and sex trafficking.

In 2019, researchers in the Biotechnology and Human Systems studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology released a Human Trafficking Technology Roadmap aimed at helping federal, state and local agencies to better identify, investigate and prosecute trafficking cases. The report’s recommendations include building tools that automatically analyze large amounts of data, establishing centralized collections of evidence templates and trafficking “signatures,” and developing shared computing systems for law enforcement and courts.

Pennsylvania’s new website builds on efforts by the administration of Gov. Josh Shapiro, who announced his reelection bid Thursday, to combat human trafficking. Those include spending $14 million over the past two budget cycles on the Victims Compensation Assistance Program and moving the state’s Anti-Human Trafficking Workgroup under PCCD’s leadership. That group now focuses on training, law enforcement coordination, victim services and public awareness.

Union leaders for Rhode Island state employees are publicly airing frustrations with the state’s new payroll system following weeks of complaints, claiming many state workers have had problems receiving their full pay.

Rhode Island Council 94, the largest state workers’ union with more than 4,500 members, and the union representing correctional officers issued press releases Thursday calling on the state to fix the system that rolled out in early December.

The new system is operated by Workday, a company that provides services to more than 10,000 companies and organizations, including other states.

“Simply put, Workday is not working,” Council 94 President Michael McDonald wrote in a statement.

The unions claim problems for state employees include missing pay, partial pay, missing overtime pay, incorrect or no holiday pay, and benefits deductions not sent to accounts.

Council 94 says the state has worked on some solutions, but complaints and calls to a hotline mount.

“The state, in meeting after meeting, urges patience. Our members mortgage payments, grocery bills, childcare, fuel costs and other expenses do not pause for payroll processing errors. The payroll errors have touched every state agency,” Council 94 State Vice President John Monse stated.

The unions say they’ve brought the complaints to state officials, including Gov. Dan McKee.

“While some prior errors were corrected, the continued recurrence demonstrates a systemic payroll breakdown, not isolated mistakes,” the Rhode Island Brotherhood of Correctional Officers wrote in its statement.

NBC 10 News messaged the governor’s office and the Department of Administration before noon Thursday.

The governor’s office later referred comment to Administration, which has not responded to NBC 10’s messages.

The unions are calling for legislative oversight hearings into the matter and are considering legal action.