Dry Weather Finishes April
Less Than One Fifth of an Inch of Rain at GWC in Last 18 Days
SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ – A common refrain for this month is, “April Showers Bring May Flowers.” Unfortunately, the statement doesn’t apply for this April. Less than two and a half inches of rain has fallen at Greg’s Weather Center in April 2025. The month began with much promise. Nine of the first 12 days had measurable rainfall. However, a dry weather finish to April has developed with less than a fifth of an inch of rain over the last 18 days at GWC.
During those first twelve days of April 2025 at GWC, approximately 2.28 inches of rain or 92.3 percent of the month’s total fell. The rainfall came at the tail end of an active 40-day period in South Plainfield. From March 4th to April 12th, there were 21 days of measurable rainfall that totaled 6.88 inches. The total rainfall from this stretch accounted for 74 percent of the year to date rainfall total of 9.28 inches at Greg’s Weather Center. Similar rainfall amounts were tallied around Central Jersey as well.
| Location | Rainfall for Month (in inches) | Rainfall Year to Date (in inches) |
| New Brunswick, NJ | 3.54 | 11.57 |
| Watchung Mountain, NJ | 3.24 | 10.26 |
| Warren, NJ | 3.09 | 9.49 |
| Green Brook Mountain, NJ | 3.02 | 9.22 |
| Kearny, NJ | 2.96 | 10.45 |
| Woodbridge, NJ | 2.86 | 10.62 |
| Wardlaw-Hartridge School – Edison, NJ | 2.79 | 10.56 |
| Sayreville, NJ | 2.71 | 10.08 |
| Piscataway, NJ | 2.61 | 10.34 |
| GWC – South Plainfield, NJ | 2.47 | 9.28 |
| North Plainfield, NJ | 2.22 | 9.27 |
| Metuchen, NJ | 2.14 | 8.68 |
| Perth Amboy, NJ | 1.85 | 7.06 |
| Edison, NJ | 1.73 | 8.75 |
Wettest Period of Year to Date Gives Way to Dry Spell
The average rainfall per day at GWC over the 40 days was 0.17 of an inch. Over the first 12 days of April 2025, the rainfall average was 0.19 of an inch per day. Since April 12th, the average rainfall per day has dwindled to just 0.01 of an inch. Rainfall has been fairly erratic over the past several years. In the Summer of 2022, there was a period of about two months with very little rainfall. Then, the rainfall picked up again in 2023 with the second wettest September on record thanks to Tropical Storm Ophelia.
The wet weather pattern lingered into the first half of 2024 before turning very dry. The months of July, September, and October combined for only 1.63 inches of rain. October 2024 had no measurable rain at all. August 2024 was the month that salvaged the four month period with a total of 5.82 inches. Greg’s Weather Center endured a stretch of 41 consecutive days with no measurable rainfall. In addition, only 2.14 inches of rain fell at GWC during a three month period from August 11th to November 9th (91 days).
Rainfall Well Below Same Nine Month Period a Year Ago
Rainfall improved over the last three weeks of November 2024 as the month ended with 2.87 inches. The momentum of wet weather continued into December 2024 with another 3.80 inches of rain at GWC. Over the last 52 days of 2024, there approximately 6.67 inches of rainfall in Northwestern Middlesex County. However, the dry weather returned to begin the new year.
Despite several snowstorms including two in January, there was only 2.21 inches of rain over the first 62 days of 2025 (January 1st to March 3rd). So, from July 1, 2024 until today, there has been 23.4 inches of rainfall at Greg’s Weather Center. During the same period from July 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024, there was 48.89 inches of rain at GWC. In other words, the amount of rainfall over these past 9 months is less than half of what it was during the same period the year before.
Consequences of Dry Weather – Wildfires
One of the most significant results of the recent dry weather pattern in New Jersey has been the emergence of wildfires. Four have developed around the Garden State within the past several weeks including most recently in Old Bridge. However, the biggest wildfire story was in Southern Ocean County last week.
The Jones Road fire in Waretown grew rapidly under the dry and windy conditions. Within hours it had engulfed a wide swath of area in Barnegat, Lacey Township, and Waretown. Chaos ensued. Large sections of the Garden State Parkway and Route 9 were shut down. Here’s one thing to keep in mind too, and that is Route 9 is only one lane in both directions once you drive south of Toms River. Evacuation orders were issued. Relief centers were set up in nearby Manchester.
As of Monday, April 28th at 12:00 PM, the fire was 75 percent contained. The Jones Road Fire, located near County Road 532 in Southern Ocean County, has scorched an area of 15,300 acres. This region is in the heart of the Pine Barrens. On a personal note, I have driven near this area. When I drive down to Long Beach Island, I usually take County Road 539 from Cranbury in Middlesex County to Route 72 in Stafford. The brush fire is located to the east of where CR-539 and Route 72 meet.
Another wildfire developed near Atco, New Jersey in Atlantic County on Sunday. On Tuesday, the National Weather Service Office in Mount Holly issued a Special Weather Statement for an Elevated Risk of Wildfire Spread. The combination of low humidity and gusty winds up to 20 miles per hour have created conditions conducive for rapid fire spread.