Ready, set, sweat, NJ: Summertime humidity and heat surging again

The Bottom Line

Changes are in the air, as a warm front lifts through New Jersey Wednesday. A big increase in humidity will make the air feel much thicker, more tropical, and sweatier by Wednesday afternoon, even though temperatures will be similar to Tuesday. In addition, a few spot showers and thunderstorms will bubble up from the south. They will be hit-or-miss, but everyone in the state could see a brief pocket of rain at some point. Heat ramps up Thursday to match the high humidity, as our next Jersey heat wave begins. We will see daily highs in the 90s for about a week. The heat index, the “feels like” or “apparent” temperature, will flirt with 100 degrees, on the edge of “dangerous heat” territory. In this soupy environment, a daily pop-up shower or thunderstorm will be possible too.

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Weather Hazards

Thunderstorms Wednesday should be isolated to spotty, although a localized downpour or pocket of gusty wind is possible. Warm fronts usually do not produce widespread violent weather, so this is not a major severe weather setup. Still, any thunderstorm can briefly turn noisy and messy, with lightning, heavy rain, and a burst of wind.

The bigger weather story is the return of heat and humidity. This will not be the worst heat wave of the season so far, as temperatures are expected to reach the 90s, not the 100s. But it may be the longest heat wave so far this summer. And do not underestimate how uncomfortable the humidity will feel.

There are no heat advisories or warnings posted at this time, so no official alarm bells for dangerous heat just yet. But heat index values flirting with 100 degrees are close enough to the danger zone that it is time to think ahead: Stay hydrated, take breaks, use air conditioning when possible, and get ready for a lot of angry complaining about the sultry weather.

Climatological Context

August 5 is the 217th day of 2026.

Normal high temperatures range from 85 to 86 degrees, while normal low temperatures range from 66 to 69 degrees.

August is, on average, New Jersey’s second hottest and second wettest month of the year.

Wednesday

Change is in the air, thanks to a warm front lifting through New Jersey. We already have very different weather conditions between northern and southern New Jersey, as our dreaded foe humidity returns to the atmosphere.

While most of New Jersey begins Wednesday morning in the 60s, 70s are already showing up in South Jersey. The air is only going to get thicker as the day goes on.

Wednesday will not be especially hot, with high temperatures only in the lower 80s. But the humidity will climb in a big way through the day, making the air feel more tropical, more sweat-inducing, and thick enough to chew by afternoon.

Meanwhile, radar is picking up on some spotty areas of rain in South Jersey, right on schedule. Those will continue bubbling up, from south to north, throughout the day. Sporadic showers and thunderstorms will generally be hit-or-miss, brief, and widely scattered from morning through sunset. It is not a washout. And the risk of widespread severe weather is low. But it may be a "carry the umbrella" kind of day for you.

Otherwise, clouds and sun will mix overhead.

Wednesday night will be partly cloudy and incredibly muggy — not cool or comfortable at all. Look for low temperatures only falling into the mid 70s. This may be one of the worst parts of this next heat wave: warm, suffocating overnights.

Thursday

For the first time in three weeks, it's time for another Jersey heat wave.

Thursday will be mostly sunny skies, hot and humid. High temperatures are forecast to reach into the lower 90s for most of the state. The heat index will approach 100 degrees, thanks to all that moisture in the air.

There will also be the chance of an afternoon shower or thunderstorm, mainly to the northwest. Again, this is not a widespread rain setup. It is pop-up stuff, fueled by heat and humidity.

Friday

Friday will be hot and humid again, with high temperatures in the lower 90s. Clouds will increase through the day. And there will be an even better chance for spotty thunderstorms in the late afternoon to early evening time frame.

The high humidity will make the air feel soupy and gross. Heat index values will flirt with 100 degrees again.

The Weekend & Beyond

The weekend stays steamy and sweaty.

Saturday and Sunday will feature partly to mostly sunny skies, highs still in the 90s, and plenty of humidity. The best chance of a pop-up thunderstorm will be late Saturday.

Looking farther ahead, widespread 90-degree temperatures looks to continue for at least Monday and Tuesday too. Long-range models currently show a slight cooldown around the middle of next week, although that is not necessarily a guarantee.

Summer is only half over. And there is plenty of summery weather in this forecast. Humidity is back. The heat is on. Ready, set, sweat, New Jersey!

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