Warm and Stormy Pattern ahead for New Jersey

Warm and Humid Air Mass Moves into Garden State on Saturday; Expected to Linger until Tuesday

Springtime in New Jersey has taken some time to take shape in 2014. By this time last year, average temperatures were a degree warmer in April and almost three degrees warmer in May. Two years ago, the maximum temperature for the month of April was just above 90 degrees. This year, there has been only one 80 degree day (April 13th), and that was the first one since the first week of October 2013.  Last year, the first 90 degree day was on May 30th. One year ago today, the mercury reached 80 degrees. There could be a repeat of that today as a warm front will be pushing into the region, and once the clouds break this afternoon, the mercury will climb to near 80 degrees.

With the increase in warmth and humidity, there is an increased risk of thunderstorms. Showers and thunderstorms are expected to move into the region this afternoon between 2:00 and 5:00 PM according to the National Weather Service office in Mount Holly, New Jersey. A little further to the west in Central Pennsylvania, places such as Lancaster could see strong thunderstorms with some bringing along with them microburst energy capable of producing winds between 50 and 60 miles per hour as well as small hail. Don’t know if these storms will be able to make it into New Jersey, but we’ll be watching the National Weather Service and the Storm Prediction Center for any changes.

The increase in temperature, humidity, and storminess on Saturday will kick off a period of several days with more of a summer like feel to the weather. Temperatures will be around 80 degrees until Tuesday when another round of storms is expected to fire up across the state. A bulge of warm, humid air has been gradually moving eastward over the past several days, and it has produced heavy rains in the south including New Orleans, which had a good deal of flooding in the French Quarter thanks to thunderstorms moving through on Friday night. Further to the west, the San Antonio area of Texas saw several severe thunderstorm cells on Friday afternoon. A little bit closer to our neck of the woods, temperatures rose into the upper 70s and low 80s from Buffalo through Pittsburgh and State College in Pennsylvania down toward Washington, D.C. on Friday. All of this weather is slowly pushing to the east.

After the rains and storms on Saturday, things should clear out nicely for Mother’s Day with temperatures again around 80 degrees. Monday looks to be the warmest day of the period with highs topping out above 80, and then on Tuesday we will see things begin to cool off as another round of showers and storms move through. The rest of the week looks unsettled with showers on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday with temperatures coming down to around seasonable levels.