Heat and Humidity Return; Expected to last until Thursday Before Fall-Like Change Moves in

The calendar says were nearing mid-September, but outside it feels like we are approaching mid-July in much of the Northeast including the Garden State. After a warm front came through with just some clouds late in the day on Monday, the heat and humidity returned with a vengeance with a muggy day on Tuesday, and then an even more uncomfortable day on Wednesday. The hot and humid weather is expected to last through Thursday before a cold front swoops down from Canada bringing some severe weather, and a fall like change.

Although the temperature was only 85 on Tuesday, it combined with an oppressive humidity level of 75 degrees to make it feel like 94 in South Plainfield. Wednesday’s weather would surpass that by a wide margin. The temperature was already up to 80 degrees by 10:00 AM, and reached the 90 degree mark just after 1:00 PM in the afternoon. The humidity was even worse than on Tuesday. Dew points were already in the mid 70s by late morning, and peaked at 80 degrees just before 1:00 PM. The combination of the two produced a peak heat index of 110, which is the highest in South Plainfield during the month of September in at least the past three years.

Prior to Wednesday, the highest temperature in the past month was 88 degrees on August 21st. The last 90 degree day was on July 20th, which was the last day of the longest heat wave of the summer before severe weather broke that up. So, there hadn’t been a 90 degree day in South Plainfield for 53 days. The numbers give you only some idea of what it felt like today in town. Stepping outside gave you a much different perspective. The sun was quite strong today. I went out for a walk a little bit after 11:00 AM, and came back around 12:30 PM, and it was rough. The heat and humidity made me a sweaty mess, but I still managed to get in my 10,000 steps for the day.

A heat advisory is currently in effect over much of Southeastern New York and Northeastern New Jersey including the five boroughs of New York City. Meanwhile, further off to the north and west in Northeastern Pennsylvania, a Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect. With a significant cold front diving down from Canada into this heat and humidity, there is going to be a powerful clash of air masses. To give you an idea of the dramatic change that is about to take place, high temperatures on Friday and Saturday in South Plainfield are expected to be in the low 70s with some areas in the upper 60s. So, the ingredients are there for a severe weather event on Thursday.