Severe Thunderstorm Watches Issued With 70 MPH Winds In NJ Forecast

NEW JERSEY — Severe thunderstorms are moving in to New Jersey, bringing the possibility of rain, damaging winds and even hail as the mercury rises to the mid-90s on Thursday.

The storms will start around 2 p.m. and last through Thursday night, the National Weather Service said. The primary threats to the Garden State will be damaging wind gusts between 60 and 70 mph and localized flash flooding. There is a smaller chance of hail, the weather service added.

The risk of flash flooding is isolated, though regions where downpours may last for a few hours or repeat multiple times from Thursday to Thursday night may see disastrous flash flooding similar to the flooding seen earlier in July, AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said.

Every county but Cape May County is currently under a severe thunderstorm watch as of 4 p.m., per the National Weather Service.

The following Garden State counties are under a severe thunderstorm watch until 11 p.m.

• Atlantic
• Burlington
• Camden
• Cumberland
• Gloucester
• Hunterdon
• Mercer
• Middlesex
• Monmouth
• Morris
• Ocean
• Salem
• Somerset
• Sussex
• Warren

And, the following counties are under a severe thunderstorm watch until 8 p.m.

• Bergen
• Passaic
• Essex
• Hudson
• Union

Excessive heat is also expected Thursday, with hot and humid conditions to persist through Saturday, forecasters said. Heat index values could be as high as 107 degrees in parts of Monmouth, Ocean and Burlington counties and 110 degrees in parts of Cumberland, Atlantic, Salem and Cape May counties.

“Dangerous excessive heat expected Thu & Fri,” the National Weather Service Mount Holly station said in a statement. “Avoid strenuous outdoor activity. Drink plenty of water and wear lightweight, loose-fitting, and light-colored clothing. Hot and humid conditions look to last through Sat, but by Sun, it appears we will see some relief.”

So we've got a heat wave coming... how does it stack up to average? It looks like we'll be right around average annual highs Thursday & Friday, so statistically, this has a chance to be the hottest wx of the year. There has certainly been hotter wx in August, so no promises! pic.twitter.com/hqZsbkp8ja
— NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) July 26, 2023

Five North Jersey counties are under an excessive heat warning Thursday that will last until 9 p.m. Friday, with "dangerously hot conditions" and heat index values up to 105 degrees:

• Bergen
• Passaic
• Hudson
• Essex
• Union

As of Thursday afternoon, over a dozen counties are under a heat advisory through 6 a.m. Friday. Then, the advisory becomes an excessive heat warning that lasts until Friday night. The affected counties are:

• Monmouth
• Ocean
• Burlington
• Mercer
• Gloucester
• Camden
• Somerset
• Middlesex
• Hunterdon
• Passaic
• Hudson
• Bergen
• Essex
• Union
• Cumberland
• Cape May
• Atlantic
• Salem

A heat advisory is in effect from 11 a.m. Thursday to 10 p.m. Friday for the following counties:

• Sussex
• Warren
• Morris

“Extreme heat and humidity will significantly increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities,” the National Weather Service said. “Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances.”

Hot and humid conditions will persist through Saturday; Friday is expected to see sunny skies before another possible round of thunderstorms on Saturday afternoon, the weather service said.

Forecasters say that fans of cooler temperatures may get a break from the scorching heat soon as a cold front over the weekend is expected to bring cooler weather by Sunday with temperatures dropping to 85 degrees by Sunday afternoon and around 62 degrees by Sunday night.

Here’s the latest forecast around New Jersey, per the National Weather Service:

North Jersey

Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m. Some storms could be severe, with large hail, hail, damaging winds, and gusty winds. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. Heat index values as high as 96. Light and variable wind becoming southwest 8 to 13 mph in the morning.

Thursday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10 p.m. Some storms could be severe, with large hail and damaging winds. Partly cloudy, with a low around 68. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 92. Heat index values as high as 98. Calm wind becoming west 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon.

Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers after 2 a.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. Calm wind.

Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after noon. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds. Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Light west wind becoming northwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning.

Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 65.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 78.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 59.

South Jersey

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 93. Heat index values as high as 102. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph.

Thursday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 11 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday: Patchy fog before 8 a.m. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 96. Heat index values as high as 107. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph.

Friday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 11 p.m. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. Partly cloudy, with a low around 76. Southwest wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Saturday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. Mostly sunny, with a high near 95. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Saturday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Sunday: A chance of showers between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 64.