NJ weather: Heat and humidity will feel as if it’s 100 degrees outside this weekend
The unofficial start of summer is still a week out, but the heat index could reach 100 degrees this Saturday in much of the state, according to the National Weather Service in Mount Holly.
Overnight Thursday into Friday, the federal agency issued a heat advisory for the New Jersey counties of Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean and Somerset. The advisory is in effect from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday.
There is the potential for record-breaking temperatures throughout the Garden State this weekend, warns Trent Davis, a meteorologist with the weather service.
For example, the hottest May 21 on record at Atlantic City International Airport was 93 degrees — set in 1996, Davis said.
Even so, don’t go looking for relief in the ocean. The sea is still too cold for a dip. The water temperature off Sandy Hook was 60 degrees on Thursday and is likely to stay in that range over the weekend, he observed. There are also no lifeguards on duty.
Nevertheless, do expect the Jersey Shore’s beaches to be packed under sunny blue skies with temperatures in Cape May County, the barrier islands and the beaches farther north through Monmouth County to be in the low-to-mid 80s on Saturday, Davis said.
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Meanwhile, the interior parts of the state — from Bergen to Burlington, Morris to Mercer and Sussex to Salem counties — will be decidedly hot and sticky in the 90s on Saturday. Temperatures are to drop into the 80s on Sunday before a cold front moves through the entire region on Sunday night, bringing back the cloud cover with it, he said.
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And do keep an eye out for possible thunderstorms on Sunday, he advised.
What’s driving these July-like conditions one week before Memorial Day weekend?
“It’s been a pretty tame spring,” Davis noted.
There are southwesterly winds circulating around Bermuda in the Atlantic Ocean that will push warm air up from the South into the Northeast.
“We have this high pressure (system) that’s going to be pretty strong in the western Atlantic — a ‘Bermuda High,’” he explained.
As a result, temperatures will be the hottest this weekend since early last fall. Some areas on Saturday may feel as if it’s almost 100 degrees outside when the humidity is factored in, according to the weather service.
To avoid heat-related illnesses, the weather service advises the public to:
Be aware of the heat when outdoors and its affect on your health, taking the same precautions as you would during a heat wave in the summer.
Children and pets should never be left unattended in motor vehicles under any circumstances.
Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun and check up on relatives and neighbors.
If you are going to be outdoors, schedule frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments, and stay hydrated with non-alcoholic beverages.
Reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening.
Plan to wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing, and seek shade from the sun.
Anyone overcome by the hot weather should be immediately moved to a cool and shaded location. If you think you or someone else may be suffering from heat stroke, call 911.
Contact Asbury Park Press reporter Erik Larsen at elarsen@gannettnj.com
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: NJ weather: Here’s how hot it will get this weekend
