By: Richard L. Smith
Newark and much of North Jersey are waking up to an unusually warm Thanksgiving Eve, with temperatures already in the 50s as the morning gets underway. 
It’s a mild start to what will be a damp but comfortable Wednesday for travelers heading out to see family and friends.
Just after sunrise, it was 56 degrees at Stuyvesant Avenue and South Orange Avenue in Newark’s West Ward, a sign of the warmer air that will hang over the region for much of the day.
Many offices and workplaces will dismiss early, giving people a chance to get on the road before conditions begin to change.
While today will feel mild, Thanksgiving Day itself is expected to turn colder and breezier, so this early taste of warmth won’t last long.
According to the National Weather Service, there is a 40 percent chance of showers after 4 p.m., with patchy fog in the morning and again late in the afternoon. Skies will stay mostly cloudy, and temperatures are expected to reach a high near 61 degrees, with a light southwest breeze around 7 mph.
Tonight, forecasters call for a 30 percent chance of showers before 10 p.m., along with lingering evening fog.
Conditions will gradually clear overnight, and temperatures will drop to around 38 degrees heading into Thanksgiving morning.
Enjoy the mild air while it lasts — and stay safe on the roads as holiday travel picks up.