Powerful Midwest Storms Heading To NJ

NEW JERSEY — A wind-whipped New Jersey will face more strong storms on Thursday, less than a week after seven tornadoes were confirmed to touch down in the Garden State.

The Storm Prediction Center, a service of the National Weather Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NWS and NOAA), shows a marginal risk for severe thunderstorms for all of New Jersey.

Showers and thunderstorms will also move through the region Wednesday. The state can expect “frequent downpours” through the last half of the week, says AccuWeather, with risk of hail and damaging wind gusts. As the front pushes to the east coast Thursday, gusts are expected to range between 50-60 mph, forecasters said.

This line of severe thunderstorms is expected to stretch all the way from central Georgia all the way up to New Jersey on Thursday. States down south will also get soaked on Thursday, per AccuWeather.

As of Wednesday morning, this particular line of storms is marching east – one person died in a Missouri tornado early Wednesday, according to AccuWeather, and travelers in Chicago may face delays as more vigorous storms come through. There is an enhanced risk of severe storms in a band from Tennessee and Arkansas up to the Great Lakes states of Michigan and Ohio on Wednesday, as well.

Before the storm rolls in Thursday, there will be “significant” fog Wednesday night in a large portion of New Jersey, says the NWS.

A strong low-pressure system is expected to move through the region late on Thursday. On Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service said it is unclear when exactly the cold front associated with this system will arrive in NJ.

“We continue to watch this cold front, its movement and timing, and latest guidance carefully as the potential for the development of severe weather exists because of it,” said NWS forecasters in Mount Holly.

The Mount Holly office predicts weather for most of New Jersey, except the counties in the New York City region. NJ counties closest to the NYC area also have an increasing chance of showers and thunderstorms, says the weather office there.

It will also be a warm day Thursday, with temperatures possibly reaching the upper 70s in most locations “and even the lower 80s at some locations,” per the NWS, including in northeastern NJ near NYC.

Wind looks to be the most likely threat, forecasters continued, with hail a more secondary threat.

“The chance for a tornado appears to be lower at this time but cannot necessarily be completely ruled out,” said the NWS. “We will continue to monitor this situation closely in following updates.”

Forecasters at AccuWeather say the overall risk for severe weather “will lessen by late this week as the storm's energy dissipates."

Here is a look at the forecast around New Jersey ahead of this storm:

North Jersey

Today

A slight chance of light rain between noon and 1pm, then a chance of drizzle or light rain after 1pm. Patchy fog after 1pm. Otherwise, cloudy, with a temperature falling to around 50 by 5pm. East wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Tonight
A chance of drizzle or light rain. Patchy fog. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 49. East wind 3 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Thursday
A chance of drizzle before 9am, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms between 9am and 3pm, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 3pm. Areas of fog before noon. High near 81. Light south wind becoming southwest 5 to 9 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday Night
Showers and thunderstorms before midnight, then a chance of showers between midnight and 3am. Low around 47. Northwest wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Central Jersey

Wednesday

Areas of fog before 3pm. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 67. East wind around 10 mph.

Wednesday Night
A slight chance of showers between 11pm and 5am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Thursday
A slight chance of showers before 9am, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 3pm. High near 83. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday Night
Showers and thunderstorms before midnight, then a chance of showers. Low around 49. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

South Jersey

Today
Widespread dense fog. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 58. Southeast wind around 10 mph.

Tonight
Areas of fog. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. Breezy, with a south wind 15 to 20 mph.

Thursday
Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly after 5pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66. South wind around 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday Night
Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 11pm, then a chance of showers between 11pm and 2am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2am. Low around 49. West wind around 10 mph becoming north after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.