By: Richard L. Smith
Good morning, Jersey!
Newark and the North Jersey region are waking up to another oppressive summer day as dangerous heat, high humidity and hazy skies settle over the state.
It is a muggy 81 degrees in downtown Newark at 4:30 a.m., and temperatures won’t waste any time climbing.
With plenty of sunshine through much of the day, it will quickly become dangerously hot. If you have outdoor plans, try to get them done as early as possible before the worst of the heat arrives.
Today is an AccuWeather Alert Day as record-breaking heat combines with poor air quality to create uncomfortable and potentially hazardous conditions.
Afternoon temperatures will soar into the upper 90s, but the heat index will make it feel much hotter.
Expected peak heat index values include:
- Newark: 106°
- Toms River: 108°
- Belmar: 105°
- Morristown: 103°
- Somerville: 103°
- Sussex County: 97°
According to the National Weather Service:
Patchy smoke between 11 a.m. and noon. Increasing clouds and hot, with a high near 100. Heat index values as high as 104. West wind 7 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.
Tonight:
A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11 p.m. Areas of smoke. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 76. Northwest wind 5 to 9 mph becoming light after midnight.
Stay cool, stay hydrated, check on elderly neighbors and pets, and limit strenuous outdoor activity during the hottest part of the day.
Stay cool, Jersey!