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It’s not exactly time to get your shorts and T-shirts out, but after a weeklong deep freeze in North Jersey, the temperatures will rise Sunday to about 40 degrees and will get into the mid-40s by Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.  

“Everyone’s thermometers are not broken today — it’s actually in the 30s outside,” Bill Goodman, a meteorologist with the service’s Upton, New York office said Sunday morning. “There’s a weak frontal boundary moving through. It’s a welcome change from some of these recent mornings we’ve had in the single digits and teens.”

Sunday night, the temperature will dip back into the 20s, but the highs will reach back up near 40 both Monday and Tuesday.

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Sometime Tuesday afternoon there may be some passing flurries, but no significant snow accumulation, Goodman said.

Then Wednesday there is a chance of rain showers in the afternoon. The temperature turns colder again on Thursday, although nothing like the frigid temperatures of the past week, with highs in the low to mid-30s.

Last week, a polar vortex brought the coldest temperatures of the year to the area, with wind chills near zero. Streets and sidewalks became slick with ice as snow melted and then froze. Even the Great Falls in Paterson froze over.

By Friday, the high is expected to be between 35 and 40 degrees, with a chance of rain and snow showers in the evening. It should warm up further next weekend, Goodman said, with highs getting back into the 40s.

“It’s still a little bit unsettled, but temperatures are moving into the 40s,” he said. “I think Wednesday we’ll put a real dent into whatever snow is left on the ground.”

JERSEY CITY, N.J. — The impending facelift for New Jersey’s Liberty State Park is getting closer, but not everyone is on board with the revitalization program.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection held its fifth open house Saturday to get feedback from the community.

10-year project will develop marina green and more

The state DEP has a holistic long-term masterplan that includes revitalization of a large part of the park.

“It’s going to take a lot of heart, a lot of commitment and many years, but we’re getting started right now thanks to the feedback that that we’ve received from all of you,” state DEP Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette said.

The plan is to start on the northern side of the park, which includes the Audrey Zapp Drive corridor, developing the marina green and much more.

“The commissioner talks about flood resiliency, habitats, so there will be saltwater wetlands, freshwater wetlands, open fields, couple hills, six miles of trails. So it will be one of the largest urban natural areas in the world,” Jersey City resident Sam Pesin said.

Officials say the project will be a work in progress for the next decade and cost over $1 billion.

They’re accepting feedback on this phase of the project through Saturday, Feb. 8.  

Some N.J. residents resistant to park changes

The community came out to offer feedback before the groundbreaking of projects inside Liberty State Park. The in-person feedback included post-it notes.

“We finally see a light at the end of the road,” Jersey City resident Rafael Torres said.

“These consultants have gotten 5,000 public comments in the last 15 months,” Pesin said.

Some are resistant to making any changes to the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal building, saying it will ruin the nostalgic feel of the railyard.

Pesin is concerned the marina wants to extend to the waterfront and will bring super yachts to the park.

“An expansion of the marina privatization. They have 520 slips there, it’s a luxury marina and so they would want to be expanding from where they are now all the way east up to the river. With the negative consequences of having millionaire super yachts in this treasured local, state and national park,” he said.

Pesin’s father, Morris Pesin, is known as the father of Liberty State Park. During his time as a councilman, he was instrumental in creating the park.

The state DEP says the park will never be privatized.

You’ve read the headlines about getting a REAL ID before the May 7 deadline. You’ve done your due diligence and made an appointment. 

Now what? What even is a REAL ID? It will be needed in more places than just the airport. How much does it cost?

Well, before you go to your appointment, you need to make sure you bring the right documentation.

The New Jersey Motor Vehicle commissioner requires a unique combination of documents, which follows a process called 2 + 1 + 6 = REAL ID. 

That means you must have:

• Identity documents that add up to six points
• Two documents to prove your address
• One valid social security number

Bear in mind that most transactions at the MVC require a physical document, and not just a copy on your smartphone. 

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What’s included in REAL ID 6 points?

This is the spot where you’ll need to verify your identity with primary documents that add up to six points, such as:

• A U.S passport or birth certificate (4 points each)
• A certificate of naturalization (4 points) 
• Your current permanent resident card (3 points)
• A U.S school or college photo ID with a transcript (2 points)
• A legal name change court order, civil marriage certificate or divorce decree (2 points each)
• Additional documents also count, like a current U.S military ID or New Jersey firearms purchaser card

What’s included in REAL ID 2?

The “2” of the REAL ID formula is where you prove your address. You need to provide two out of the following:

• A valid NJ driver’s license or MVC-issued driver license renewal form displaying your residential address
• A utility bill or credit card bill from within the past 90 days 
• A bank or credit union statement issued within the past 60 days 
• An original, unexpired lease or rental agreement
• Any tax-related documents or government correspondence received within the past year 
• First-class mail from a government agency within the past six months 

What’s included in REAL ID 1?

The “1” in the REAL ID process is where you need to prove your social security number. You’ll have to show one of the following: 

• A Social Security card 
• A pay stub with the full Social Security number
• A W-2 or 1099 form issued within the past year
• You can also enter your Social Security number in the application and the MVC will electronically verify it 

What is REAL ID and where will I need it?

The REAL ID is a federal requirement for state-issued driver’s licenses and ID cards. It’s meant to issue minimum security standards for state-issued IDs. 

It’s part of a post-9/11 bill passed by Congress in 2005, according to the U.S Department of Homeland Security. 

The requirement was originally set to go into effect in 2020, but was pushed back five years amid backlogs induced by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Starting May 7 this year, a REAL ID will be required for domestic flying and to get into any federal buildings. 

Your current ID might read “Not For Real ID purposes,” and that means that, even if unexpired, the ID would not be compliant with the federal requirement. 

But you could also present another REAL ID-compliant document to TSA security at the airport, like a passport. 

It can take about two weeks, or 15 business days, to process the request at your local MVC. 

All Real IDs will feature a stamp on the right-hand corner to show that it is federally compliant. The symbol stamped on your Real ID card will vary, depending on the state it was issued in.

What happens at your REAL ID appointment?

At the appointment, the documents you provide are scanned and stored by the MVC, as per federal requirements. State officials stressed that the documents are securely stored.

A REAL ID has to be obtained via an in-person appointment, but renewals can be done online.

The ID costs $35, while a standard New Jersey license or ID costs $24.

Staff Writer Manahil Ahmah contributed this article, which contains information from USA Today

Daniel Munoz covers business, consumer affairs, labor and the economy for NorthJersey.com and The Record. 

Email: munozd@northjersey.com; Twitter:@danielmunoz100 and Facebook