Grab a sweater. For the next three days, the metro area is set to experience intense heat.
This early summer heat is anticipated to give way to a more refreshing spring breeze, according to the national weather bureau.
According to the National Weather Service, “Heat will be a major topic of discussion across much of the eastern United States during the first part of this week.”
“The rapid change will likely be surprising. Temperatures have been relatively cool lately, usually hovering around the low 70s by mid-May,” noted AccuWeather senior meteorologist Carl Erickson.
The peak temperatures are expected on May 19 and 20. On Tuesday, we might see the thermometer hit 95 degrees, followed by 92 degrees on Wednesday, before a cooler trend sets in by Thursday.
New York City hit its all-time high of 99 degrees on May 19 in 1962, while the record for May 20 was established in 1996, reaching 96 degrees, Erickson pointed out.
A cold front arriving later this week should provide some much-needed relief.
“It’s going to move in quickly, which means a jarring shift between the heat and cooler temperatures,” Erickson remarked.
Meteorologists explain that a mass of high pressure is causing this heat wave over the eastern half of the country, as described by the National Weather Service.
This dome acts like a massive lid of hot air close to the ground, restricting clouds and storms, leading to increasingly warm days.
The outcome is hot and humid weather, with “feels-like” temperatures potentially reaching the triple digits in some areas.
Forecasters predict the most intense heat will stretch from the mid-Atlantic down to the Carolinas, where temperatures could rise into the low to mid 90s, possibly breaking daily records before cooler air arrives by Thursday.
But it’s not just about the numbers on a thermometer.
The combination of humidity and heat creates very uncomfortable conditions.
North Jersey is experiencing a notable surge in early-season heat, with temperatures projected to hit 93 degrees on May 19 near Teterboro Airport, as reported by NJ.com.
Newark recorded a high of 98 degrees on that same day, also back in 1962.
The heat persists. Wednesday is expected to bring temperatures close to 90 degrees for North Jersey. However, as the cold front approaches, there will be a chance for scattered showers and storms, bringing a much-needed drop in temperature and alleviating the hot, muggy conditions.
For now, residents of New York and New Jersey will need to brace themselves for the heat.
