Why this week’s NJ heat wave was so brutal and unusual, by the numbers

This has been a wild weather week in New Jersey for sure. Summer arrived last Friday, and since then the Garden State has sweat, sweltered, and sizzled!

New Jersey's first heat wave of 2025 lasted six days. And in that time, we have covered many impacts of heat and humidity, including:
—12 reasons why this NJ heat wave is 'dangerous'
—Do not leave these items in your car during a heat wave
—Why your A/C isn't keeping up during the heat
—Keep your tires rolling during extreme heat
—How does this heat wave compare to the past?

Only one thing remains: A recap of the heat wave. Because it was pretty significant, for several reasons. Was it New Jersey's hottest weather since 1993, 2011, or 2022? All of the above, as the answer depends upon which quantity or statistic you look at.

Here are some of the facts and figures I have uncovered, now that we are done broiling in the summer sun (for now).

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Three Consecutive 100° Days

This Jersey heat wave technically lasted six days — at least one weather station in the state hit 90+ degrees from Saturday through Thursday. But the worst of the worst came in the middle, as we hit 100+ degrees for three consecutive days:
—Monday 6/23... Top temperature 101° at Hackettstown, Hammonton, Lower Alloways Creek, Oswego Lake, and Vineland
—Tuesday 6/24... Top temperature 103° at Hammonton, Newark, Toms River, and Woodland Township
—Wednesday 6/25... Top temperature 102° at Hammonton

For the record, Thursday came very close to the century mark — parts of South Jersey made it to 98 degrees.

Looking at statewide streaks of extreme heat through history is complicated. I think it's fair to say this was our worst string of 100s since July 2022, when Newark experienced five consecutive triple-digit days.

Records Smashed

There are three primary climate reporting stations in New Jersey. Newark Liberty International Airport (technically in Elizabeth) with records dating back to 1931, Trenton-Mercer Airport (technically in Ewing) with sporadic records dating back to 1894, and Atlantic City International Airport (technically in Egg Harbor Township) with records dating back to 1958.

Daily record highs were tied, beaten, and smashed this week:

—Newark on Mon 6/23... Observed high 101°... Previous record high 99° (2024)
—Trenton on Mon 6/23... Observed high 97°... Previous record high 97° (1894)
—Atlantic City on Mon 6/23... Observed high 98°... Previous record high 98° (2024)

—Newark on Tue 6/24... Observed high 103°... Previous record high 97° (1966)
—Trenton on Tue 6/24... Observed high 98°... Previous record high 98° (1894)
—Atlantic City on Tue 6/24... Observed high 102°... Previous record high 99° (2010)

—Newark on Wed 6/25... Observed high 101°... Previous record high 100° (1943)
—Atlantic City on Wed 6/25... Observed high 102°... Previous record high 96° (1997)

Newark's record high temperature on Tuesday and Atlantic City's record on Wednesday, highlighted in red above, were broken by six degrees. That's crazy!

Note: Trenton missed setting a record on Wednesday by three degrees. Observed high was 96° and the record remains 99° set in 1997.

Newark Airport: Almost 100 Hours Over 80°

On Sunday, June 22 at approximately 11 a.m., the thermometer at the Newark Airport weather station climbed to 81 degrees. It then did not drop below 80 degrees until about 8 a.m. on Thursday, June 26. A total of 93 hours.

Warm, muggy nights dramatically exacerbate the effects of extreme heat waves, as there is just no opportunity to reset and refresh. As a result, the environment, infrastructure, humans, animals, and plants suffer.

That means Newark had three consecutive days with a daily low temperature at or above 80 degrees: Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

Only once in recorded history has there been a longer streak of warm nights. July 8-12, 1993 featured five stifling nights in a row. Yuck.

Atlantic City Airport: Hottest Days since 2011

As I mentioned above, the Atlantic City Airport thermometer hit 102 degrees on both Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

The last time we hit 100 there was July 2019.

The last time it was that hot was July 2011, when two consecutive days hit an incredible 105 degrees.

So it was ACY's hottest weather in almost 14 years. Again, that is quite significant!

Roads Buckling / Graduation Illnesses / Power Outages: From Bad to Worse

I can dig through climatology statistics all day and night for nuggets of wisdom. Even more, the headlines from this heat wave tell the story of the striking impact it had across the Garden State.

From upwards of 60,000 power outages at one time. (Including my house for a steamy eight hours on Monday.)

To major highways buckling under the strain of extreme hat.

To a wave of heat illnesses during outdoor graduation ceremonies.

The scariest aspect of this oppressively hot weather is that summer is just getting started. The average hottest time of the year — the dog days of summer — is coming up in late July to early August. So there is still plenty of time for more heat waves, more broken records, more heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and more melting infrastructure.

Dan Zarrow is Chief Meteorologist for Townsquare Media New Jersey. Check out Dan's weather blog or follow him on Facebook for your latest weather forecast updates.