High Humidity Gives Mid-June Jersey Weather A Dog Days of Summer Feel

Temperatures Reach 90 Degrees for First Time This Year at GWC on Thursday; Dew Points Downright Tropical

Summer unofficially began on Memorial Day Weekend. The meteorological start to summer was June 1st, and the summer solstice is not for another week, but if you were outside around the Garden State over the past couple days, you would have thought that the calendar read August instead of June. Thursday and Friday were not only the warmest two days so far in 2015, but combined with dew points that were more typical of the Amazon Jungle, conditions were very oppressive. Heat index values both days were up to 100 degrees at GWC in South Plainfield while the actual temperature topped out at 90 degrees for the first time this year.

The humidity has been the story at times during the spring. Over the past month there have been a handful of occasions were dew points have soared not just to uncomfortable levels, but to tropical rain forest levels. On Thursday, the dew point peaked at 77 degrees. Friday’s maximum dew point then topped that with a 78 during the afternoon. Before a cold front, which was responsible for unleashing severe thunderstorms with heavy rain and even tornadoes in parts of Eastern Pennsylvania and Upstate New York, passed through on Saturday morning, the dew point got up to 73 degrees.

The heat and humidity also produced unhealthy air quality conditions. The National Weather Service had issued an Air Quality Alert as early as Wednesday, and it was well warranted. The stagnant air caused a tremendous haze to develop over Central Jersey on Thursday and Friday. Nearby places such as the Watchung Mountains were shrouded in haze while cloud patterns were somewhat hard to detect. Some areas around New Jersey did receive some pop-up showers and storms, especially on Friday. During the mid-afternoon, a thunderstorm cell developed over Hunterdon County, and moved northeastward through Northern Somerset and Morris counties. Around 5:00 PM, another thunderstorm complex, which was more potent, moved through Warren County and into Sussex County. By dinner time, another thunderstorm developed near West Milford, and traveled into Sussex County as well.

Severe storms also produced a potent tornado near Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Thankfully, a sea breeze developed along the Jersey Shore, and stabilized the air enough over Middlesex County to repel the showers and storms. The reason for the tropical air was a southwesterly flow around high pressure, which anchored offshore. The cold front that came through this morning should give a brief respite from the torrid weather, but the heat and humidity as well as some storms are expected to return for early next week. The National Weather Service office in Mount Holly indicates that there could be heavy rain on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. New Jersey is not alone. As a matter of fact, forecast models are indicating that much of the country, especially Texas, is going to see significant rain over the next week.