Weekend forecast: Rain comes Saturday, but will it clear up before NFL kickoff Sunday?

It may technically still be summer, but September has started with a fall feel. And with school back in session and football season kicking off, it’s hard to deny the seasons are changing.

Cooler-than-normal temperatures will continue this weekend. The average high temperature a week into September is 79 degrees. This weekend, highs will be about 5 to 10 degrees below average, more in line with what we normally expect to see at the end of the month.

September has also been dry, kicking off with an entire week of rain-free days. But this weekend will finally put an end to that streak.

Saturday is our first real shower opportunity of the month, but it’ll be far from a washout. The day starts out dry, but shower chances will increase into the afternoon as a cold front approaches the region. Most of the rain will fall from early afternoon until about 6 p.m. Spotty showers are still possible before and after, but this is when the heaviest showers will move through.

Severe weather is unlikely Saturday, but a rumble of thunder or two is possible.

Most will pick up less than half an inch of rain. Some spots in the Hudson Valley could have slightly higher tallies, but we don’t expect much more than an inch in hardest-hit areas. Still, where the rain comes down the heaviest, some minor, nuisance flooding is possible.

If you were hoping to attend the Rutgers home game Saturday afternoon, expect to see some showers throughout the game. It won’t be raining the entire time, but it would be a good idea to have a poncho or the hooded jacket with you for when the afternoon starts to turn soggy.

Otherwise, you’re looking ahead to cloudy skies, temperatures in the low to mid 70s, and a bit of stickiness.

Thankfully this weekend is one and done with the rain chances and Sunday is looking much better. Sun breaks out early and continues to shine for the rest of the day and humidity plummets back down to a crisp fall feel.

Just make sure to have jacket or sweatshirt if you plan on being out early in the morning; temperatures will be in the 40s and 50s.

Temperatures warm back into the lower 70s by the afternoon. And if you have tickets to the Giants’ season opener against the Vikings, you couldn’t have asked for better football weather.