July 23, 2011: Heat Relaxes For Now

With the large ridge still covering the region, today was another hot day across the area. Widespread cloud cover, however, prevented temperatures from getting as hot as yesterday, with highs today reaching the lower to mid 90s inland, mid 90s to lower 100s in the immediate NYC area, lower to mid 90s in southern Connecticut, and the lower to upper 90s in Long Island. Newark, which hit 108 degrees yesterday, reached a maximum temperature of 102 degrees today.

A cold front currently well to the west of the area is slowly approaching, and will move through the area tomorrow. Today, this front only produced isolated activity across the region, and this front will be mostly dry when it passes through tomorrow. As a weak low pressure enters the region, Monday is likely to bring more widespread showers and thunderstorms along with much cooler temperatures. This cool down will be brief, however, as temperatures warm up into the 90s once again by late next week.

Tomorrow's Outlook:

Tomorrow will bring much cooler temperatures with less humidity into the area. As the cold front moves through, partly cloudy skies are expected with a risk of isolated showers and thunderstorms, and while any storm that forms could become strong, storms will stay isolated once again, and a good part of the area is likely to be dry. Places from NYC and further west will reach the upper 80s to lower 90s, and with a west/WNW wind, Long Island and southern Connecticut will reach the mid to upper 80s.

Monday - Tuesday: Weak Low Pressure Brings Rain

A weak low pressure is expected to move into the northern Northeast between Monday and Tuesday. This will bring widespread rainfall into the region on Monday followed by a cooler air mass for Tuesday. Monday's strong thunderstorm risk at this time is not very impressive with severe weather parameters not very supportive of severe weather. Locally heavy rainfall is possible, but widespread heavy rainfall amounts are not expected at this time. More information will be posted tomorrow on Monday's rain risk.

Along with the storm, cooler temperatures are expected. A southeast wind will bring much colder temperatures into the area, only peaking in the lower to mid 80s from NYC and further west, and the upper 70s to lower 80s east of NYC. As the storm exits on Tuesday, partly sunny skies are expected with warmer temperatures, reaching the mid 80s across most of the area.

Wednesday And Beyond: Heat Returns

The break from the heat won't last for long. Tuesday's low pressure will briefly keep cooler temperatures over the Northeast for Wednesday, when temperatures will peak in the mid to upper 80s across most of the area with parts of NE NJ potentially reaching 90 degrees in the warmer case scenario, but a much warmer air mass in the central US will spread east towards the region once again, with the ridge shifting east once again, bringing the focus of the heat closer to the area. The intensity of the heat should be weaker than the current heat wave, and appears to be shorter lasting as well, but temperatures should get hot once again, potentially surging well into the 90s on Friday and/or Saturday before cooler temperatures return. More information will be posted over the next several days on next week's heat.