Oppressive Heat Wave at 100 Degrees Raises Air Quality Alerts for the Rest of the Week in New Jersey

Forecasters predict that the hotter-than-normal July weather will persist well into the following week, with air temperatures remaining steady in the 90s and heat indexes in some areas rising well above 100 degrees. In some areas, the heat wave will also cause air quality alerts.

According to the National Weather Service, Wednesday will see widespread highs in the low to mid-90s with high humidity dragging heat index values up to the mid- to upper-90s under mostly sunny skies.

The hottest day of the stretch will be Thursday, when the heat index is predicted to be as high as 107 degrees in the New Brunswick area. From Trenton and northward, afternoon showers and thunderstorms are possible.

The heat index, which measures how hot it actually feels when humidity is taken into account, will be 100 or higher across nearly the entire state on Thursday, despite the fact that temperatures will generally be in the mid- to upper 90s.

New Jersey Advisories

On Wednesday, a heat advisory will take the place of the previous excessive heat watch for 19 of New Jersey's 21 counties, Sussex and Warren are the exceptions.

The heat advisory will go into effect on Wednesday at noon and last until eight o'clock in the evening for the five northeastern counties of Bergen, Passaic, Essex, Hudson, and Union. On Thursday, the heat advisory goes into effect at 11 a.m. in the other 14 counties. Wednesday until eight o'clock. Thursday.

Additionally, 11 counties, namely Bergen, Passaic, Essex, Hudson, Union, Middlesex, Gloucester, Mercer, Monmouth, Camden, and northwest Burlington, have received air quality alerts from the state Department of Environmental Protection. Nighttime temperatures are only predicted to drop into the 70s.

On Friday, the temperature will remain high, but it won't be as uncomfortable as on Thursday. According to forecasters, highs will be in the low to mid-90s with a little less humidity.

The heat index is predicted to range from 100 to 105 across the state on Sunday, making it "the hottest and most oppressive day" of the week as the heat wave pushes on. There is very little to absolutely no chance of precipitation over the course of the three days.

According to early forecasts, Monday and Tuesday's high temperatures will also be 90 degrees or higher.

Tuesday's highs were well below average-92 in Trenton, 94 in Atlantic City, and 94 in Newark, NJ.com reports.

All-Time Records vs. Current Highs

Even though temperatures are predicted to be 8 to 10 degrees hotter than usual on Wednesday, daily record highs may also be difficult to achieve.

• The daily high temperature for July 20 in the Newark region is 101 degrees, which was set in 1980. 98 is the current high predicted.
• The current forecast high is 95 degrees, while the daily record high for July 20 in the Trenton region is 101 degrees, set in 1991.
• The daily high temperature for July 20 in the vicinity of Atlantic City is 99 degrees, set in 2019. 95 is the predicted high at this time.
• The daily record high for July 20 in the New Brunswick region is 99 degrees, which was established in 1999. 95 is the predicted high at this time.
• The daily record high for July 20 in the Philadelphia region is 99 degrees, which was established in 1930. 94 is the current high predicted.
• The daily high temperature for July 20 in Central Park, New York City, is 101 degrees, which was set in 1980. 94 is the current high predicted.

Some daily records for the warmest low temperatures may be matched or broken on Thursday, according to forecasters, because the temperature overnight tonight may not fall below the low 80s in some areas of our region.