NJ Fall Forecast: Storms, Arriving Cooldown With Early Frost Possible

NEW JERSEY — This summer saw its share of blisteringly hot temperatures in New Jersey, which lasted into Labor Day weekend and early September.

And though the temperatures are more seasonable lately, residents may be looking ahead to chilly weather, with pumpkin spice lattes and the turning of the season to autumn on Saturday.

AccuWeather forecasters said temperatures could be above 90 degrees through the first weeks of September, in their fall forecast predictions — while most people welcome autumn with the equinox on Sept. 23, meteorological fall actually began on Sept. 1. And the heat did linger into early September, with heat indices above 100 the week of Labor Day in some parts of the Garden State.

AccuWeather calls for stormy weather to end September, and "a big transition" in the weather moving into October. Some areas of New Jersey may even see flurries in the air before Halloween as the days keep getting shorter, according to the weather website.

Adding to the weather mix for the Garden State is the Atlantic hurricane season, which lasts from June 1 to Nov. 30, with the traditional peak of the season between August and late October in New Jersey.

Let’s take a look at what AccuWeather predicts for this autumn in New Jersey:

As September ends, expect chillier temperatures and the chance of severe weather when the arriving cooldown clashes with existing heat and humidity, forecasters said.

"The clash of much cooler air with warmth and humidity will ignite thunderstorms, including the risk of a more significant severe weather event," said AccuWeather meteorologist Paul Pastelok.

Forecasters said that in Northeastern states, the first frost of the season will likely hold off until October, and possibly even early November for areas closer to the coast.

As this is more than a week later than historical averages, AccuWeather said the weather pattern “could extend the growing season for farmers and gardeners across the region.”

And, this cooler air across the Northeast “will also open the door for snowflakes to fall for the first time in months,” said Paul Pastelok. He said areas in higher elevations could start to see flurries into very late September and October.

Pastelok added that it is not rare for flurries to fall in these areas in early autumn, but it would be about two weeks before the historical average for the first snowflakes of the season.

“Lower elevations may wait until later October or November," Pastelok said.

Early snow will likely be limited to just flurries, AccuWeather added, before the potential of widespread accumulating snow approaches in the winter months.

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