Heavy Rain, Severe Storms To Hit NJ Amid Dangerous Heat

NEW JERSEY — A "dangerously hot and humid day" will lead to heavy rain and severe thunderstorms across the entire Garden State, according to the latest forecast.

Somerset, Middlesex, western Monmouth, Mercer, Gloucester, Camden and northwestern Burlington counties are under an excessive heat warning through 8 p.m. Friday. Sussex, Warren, Morris, Hunterdon, Ocean, southeastern Burlington, Atlantic and Cape May counties are under a heat advisory through 8 p.m. Friday. Essentially, it's going to be unbearably hot everywhere except for the coastal areas.

Then, later in the day, storms are in store. But don't expect it to change the temperature, forecasters say.

"Unfortunately, the timing of clouds and storms today do not look to arrive in time to offer any relief during the hottest part of the day," the National Weather Service said.

This sets off a very wet weekend in NJ. Expect scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms Friday afternoon, forecasters say. There could be localized flash flooding and damaging wind gusts across the state, according to the National Weather Service.

It also is going to be a bad weekend to do anything outside. AccuWeather meteorologists warn that "sudden storms could quickly churn up area bays, coastal waters and large inland lakes with the threat of lightning strikes for those caught outdoors."

Saturday, again, will be hot and stormy. The greatest risk for heavy rain is Saturday afternoon and evening, though it's possible for it to linger through Sunday evening.

Here's the latest forecast.

North Jersey

Friday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 5pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 93. Heat index values as high as 102. Southeast wind 5 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 10pm. Patchy fog after 2am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. North wind 5 to 8 mph becoming light and variable after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 2pm. Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 91. Heat index values as high as 101. Southwest wind 6 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Saturday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southwest wind 6 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 88. Southwest wind around 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Sunday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Central Jersey

Friday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 4pm. Some of the storms could be severe. Partly sunny, with a high near 96. Heat index values as high as 106. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Friday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 11pm. Some of the storms could be severe. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Saturday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2pm. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 90. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Saturday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 2am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Sunday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Sunday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 11pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

South Jersey

Friday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 4pm. Some of the storms could be severe. Mostly sunny, with a high near 95. Heat index values as high as 106. South wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 11pm. Some of the storms could be severe. Patchy fog before 4am, then patchy fog after 5am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Saturday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2pm. Patchy fog before 7am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Saturday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 8pm and 2am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Sunday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 87. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Sunday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 8pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8pm and 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.