NJ weather: Temporary heat wave relief from two rounds of rain

The Bottom Line

I think most New Jerseyans are onboard with shouting "enough already!" at their thermometer. This has been an uncomfortable and unrelenting stretch of hot and humid weather. And it's not over yet.

Wednesday will be heat wave day 7 of 8, with highs back in the 90s and the heat index shooting for triple-digits in many spots once again. An Excessive Heat Warning continues for inland central and southern New Jersey until 8 p.m. A less-severe Heat Advisory covers the rest of non-coastal New Jersey for the same time frame.

There are two substantial rain chances coming up:
1.) A broken line of thunderstorms Wednesday evening.
2.) Pockets of potentially heavy rain throughout the day on Friday.

We will catch some relief from the heat and humidity, especially during Friday's wet, stormy, dreary weather. Even though our current heat wave will end on Thursday, the next one begins this weekend.

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Wednesday

Another hot and humid day.

We are really feeling the heat wave Wednesday morning, with temperatures firmly in the 70s. There are even a few weather stations in urban areas that have not dropped below 80 degrees. That is just disgusting.

Fog issues should be limited to the immediate coast Wednesday morning. The rest of the day will be partly sunny and breezy.

Technically, Wednesday's high temperatures will be a couple degrees cooler than Tuesday's. I doubt you'll notice though. Most of the state will top out in the lower 90s. The heat index soars to 100+ for most.

As we have discussed, a popup shower or thunderstorm is possible at any time in this soupy atmosphere. The better chance for raindrops will come later Wednesday night.

As the remnants of Beryl dance around New Jersey, a weak cold front will slide through the Garden State Wednesday night into Thursday morning. Don't get too excited — there will not be a substantial cooldown here.

A line of broken thunderstorms is expected to move generally from west to east after sunset Wednesday. Let's say prime time for storms is about 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. Those storms will likely fall apart as they approach the coast. But there is a chance for brief downpours and gusty winds.

So there is a minor severe weather and flooding threat — especially as storms first arrive, to the north and west.

Despite the rain, it will remain sticky and gross overnight. Low temperatures will only dip into the mid 70s or so.

Thursday

It's hard to declare any day to be "the nicest day" of the week. But Thursday has potential. Especially since dew points will nudge downward into the 60s — still sticky, but not as tropical.

High temperature on Thursday will reach for 90 degrees. Not everyone in NJ will hit 90 though. And I think the heat index will stay out of the danger zone, largely due to that decrease in humidity levels.

We should see lots of hazy sunshine on Thursday. And while the risk of a popup shower or storm is not zero, it does appear to be low.

Friday

From another viewpoint, Friday will be a "nice" day. Definitely the coolest day of the week! And bringing some much-needed rain to New Jersey.

Pockets of rain will ride along a warm front throughout the day Friday. The atmosphere will be rich with moisture. We use a variable called "precipitable water" to estimate the threat of heavy rain and flooding. And with PWAT values of 2.5 inches, it is safe to say there will be downpours. Rumbles of thunder too.

It will not rain all day. But Friday does look stormy, dreary, and cloudy overall. That will keep temperatures down, with highs in the lower 80s at best. Some spots could get stuck in the 70s — humid as heck, but not nearly as hot.

Rainfall totals could exceed 1 to 2 inches for some. A good soaking. The severe weather threat (wind, hail, tornado) will be low.

Saturday

Friday's rain may linger into Saturday morning, before skies start to clear.

And then we fall right back into steamy, summery weather. Highs on Saturday will reach about 90 degrees, kicking off yet another heat wave.

The Extended Forecast

90 to 95 on Sunday. And Monday. And Tuesday. And probably Wednesday too. We might even push into the triple-digit temperature danger zone by midweek.

Long-range models do show a more sustained cooldown late next week. Probably accompanying some rain.

Dan Zarrow is Chief Meteorologist for Townsquare Media New Jersey. Follow him on Facebook for the latest forecast and realtime weather updates.