A blanket of clouds caught the light of the setting sun Sunday, New Year’s Day, as seen from the Red Bank Middle School.

After a holiday break, kids return to school Monday in unseasonably warm weather, with temperatures rising to the high-50s, according to the National Weather Service. Daytime peaks of 50 or higher are expected through Thursday, though sunshine will be elusive.

Check out the extended forecast below. (Photo by John T. Ward.  Click to enlarge.)

Monday
Partly sunny, with a high near 55. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday Night
Patchy fog. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph after midnight.
Tuesday
A chance of showers, mainly after 10am. Areas of fog before 4pm. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 58. South wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Tuesday Night
Areas of drizzle with a chance of showers before 1am, then showers likely with areas of drizzle after 1am. Patchy fog after 7pm. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 50. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Wednesday
Areas of drizzle with a chance of showers before 10am, then showers, mainly after 1pm. Areas of fog before 10am. High near 61. Southwest wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Wednesday Night
A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am, then a slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Thursday
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 53.
Thursday Night
A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Friday
A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 43. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Friday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 30.
Saturday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 43.
Saturday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 30.
Sunday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 42.

If you value the news coverage provided by redbankgreen, please become a financial supporter for as little as $1 per month. Click here to set your own level of monthly or annual contribution.