Another scorching heat index over 100 in parts of the state
The hot weather that has blanketed New Jersey since Sunday shows no signs of abating, with abnormally warm conditions expected through the weekend, according to meteorologists.
The National Weather Service said Wednesday and Thursday will be particularly hot, with the heat index — the real feeling created by a combination of high temperatures and high humidity — expected to be near or above 100 degrees across much of the state.
A heat warning continues for the western counties of Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Salem, Somerset and Monmouth west until 8pm on Wednesday. The heat index may rise to 103 degrees.
Meanwhile, a heat warning has been extended for western Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Union and Passaic counties until 8 p.m. Thursday, with a heat index forecast in the upper 90s near 100.
Widespread highs are expected in the mid-90s in New Jersey. Temperatures along the Jersey Shore will be a little cooler. Overnight lows would only fall into the 70s.
While Thursday will be almost as hot with temperatures in the mid-90s and a heat index around 100, meteorologists say rain and thunderstorms are possible late in the day.
On Friday, temperatures will rise into the high 80s and low 90s. There is a marginal risk of severe weather that includes heavy rain, especially in areas northwest of Interstate 95. Rain is likely Saturday with highs in the mid-80s highs.
Highs in early September are usually in the low 80s.
The National Weather Service said a record high of 94 was reached Tuesday at Atlantic City International Airport, surpassing the previous Sept. 5 mark set in 1983 by one notch. The marina in Atlantic City set a record for the warmest low temperature of 77 degrees — one degree hotter than the old mark in 2014.
Looking ahead, Tropical Storm Lee was in the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean, 1,265 miles east-southeast of the northern Leeward Islands on Wednesday morning. Lee is expected to develop into a typhoon later Wednesday and a major typhoon later in the week.
While the odds are likely to remain far from the eastern United States, many scenarios are still possible, forecasters say.
“Interests across the Caribbean and along the East Coast from Florida to Maine will need to pay close attention to Lee,” AccuWeather.com said. “Depending on the path this system takes, the expected time frame for potential impacts to the US and Atlantic Canada could be September 13-16.”
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Jeff Goldman can be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com.
