With 'last day of the oppressive conditions' Sunday, here's North Jersey's weather forecast

The dangerous heat wave that has gripped northeast New Jersey for the past seven days will finally abate Sunday night, according to the National Weather Service. But don't expect a cool summer breeze anytime soon, as temperatures will continue to top off in the 80s and 90s through the rest of the week.

A heat advisory issued by the agency Sunday morning ― affecting Bergen, Passaic and eastern Essex counties ― will remain in effect until 8 p.m. Temperatures are expected to reach a high of 96 degrees. However, with intense humidity creating such stifling air through the day, meteorologists warn the heat index will reach 102 degrees, which might cause illnesses in some residents if precautions aren't taken.

"This is really the last day of the oppressive conditions," said David Radell, a meteorologist with the NWS. Even though temperatures will remain between highs of the mid-80s to mid-90s, the "consecutive days, which accumulates heat, is what makes a wave what it is."

The agency defines a heatwave as an “enduring event” of three or more days, he said.

More crucial in the shift to less extreme weather are the thunderstorms expected to sweep through northern New Jersey beginning in the late afternoon, which will move farther out to the east and carry the heat mass with it, according to Radell.

North Jersey: Thousands lose power in Bergen County as thunderstorms roll in during heat wave

As of 1 p.m., the storm was seen forming over eastern Pennsylvania and would hit Newark Liberty Airport sometime in the mid- to late-afternoon, then subsiding between 10 p.m. and midnight, he said.

The agency's seven-day forecast reported a tenth to a quarter inch of rainfall could be expected, but warns the downpour might intensify during the storms. Showers should make conditions more bearable, even if hot days press on.

"The difference is we won't have the moisture we had this week. With lower humidity, the temperature you feel is going to be closer to the actual temperature," Radell said.

While the heat advisory remains in effect, residents should avoid strenuous activity, stay hydrated and seek out air conditioned spaces.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: North Jersey forecast after heat advisory Sunday