Heavy Storms To End NJ Heat Wave As Index Again Hits 118 Degrees

A heat wave that has gripped New Jersey for days will end by Monday, but the transition won't be a smooth one. Heavy rain and storms remain in the forecast as the weather transitions from excessive heat to cooler conditions.

More than 13,000 people lost power (see list of towns below) after storms hit New Jersey on Sunday night. Also, the heat index peaked at 118 degrees at 1 p.m. in Monmouth County and at 2:45 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. in Camden County on Sunday (see map below).

The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook, an excessive heat warning and a flash flood watch for the next 24 hours, saying showers and thunderstorms are forecast to bring periods of heavy rain to New Jersey from Sunday night into Monday night

Rainfall totals of 1 to 2 inches are expected to be common, with local amounts up to 3 to 4 inches possible (see forecast below).

Here is when you should expect the worst:

• HEAT INDEX: The heat index was expected to peak around 2 p.m. on Sunday. The real temperatures were supposed to hit 100 degrees.
• STORMS: Some rain and thunder was expected to hit New Jersey after 6 p.m. on Sunday, but the worst storms are expected to arrive around 7 a.m. on Monday.
• POWER OUTAGES: More than 5,000 people in New Jersey lost power by 6 p.m. on Saturday, and then the number rose to 13,000 by 8:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Here is where the heat index was at its worst at 5 p.m.:

Here is where the heat index was at its worst at 2:45 p.m.:

Here is where the heat index was at its worst at 1 p.m.:

Here is the list of towns with power outages at 8:30 p.m. on Sunday:

1. BRIDGEWATER TWP 1,833
2. POINT PLEASANT BOROUGH 1,536
3. BERNARDS TOWNSHIP 1,203
4. BEDMINSTER TOWNSHIP 1,079
5. WARREN TOWNSHIP 782
6. PEAPACK AND GLADSTONE BOROUGH 615
7. BOUND BROOK BORO 393
8. HOBOKEN CITY 390
9. SEA GIRT BOROUGH 328
10. POINT PLEASANT BEACH BOROUGH 321
11. PISCATAWAY TWP 306
12. TOMS RIVER TOWNSHIP 290
13. HOPATCONG BOROUGH 276
14. CRANFORD TWP 252
15. BRICK TOWNSHIP 225
16. DUNELLEN BORO 214
17. MONTCLAIR TWP 209
18. HAMPTON TOWNSHIP 176
19. BETHLEHEM TOWNSHIP 175
20. NORTH ARLINGTON BORO 170
21. SOMERVILLE BORO 158
22. GREEN TOWNSHIP 149
23. Egg Harbor Twp 129
24. SOUTH ORANGE VILLAGE TWP 127
25. BERNARDSVILLE BOROUGH 126
26. GLEN RIDGE BORO 88
27. SUMMIT CITY 86
28. NEPTUNE TOWNSHIP 82
29. MARLBORO TOWNSHIP 78
30. ROXBURY TOWNSHIP 76
31. FRANKLIN TWP 75
32. WALL TOWNSHIP 66
33. ELIZABETH CITY 65
34. LONG BRANCH CITY 60
35. SOUTH BOUND BROOK BORO 56
36. MANASQUAN BOROUGH 55
37. BYRAM TOWNSHIP 54
38. SAYREVILLE BOROUGH 46
39. NEWARK CITY 41
40. MATAWAN BOROUGH 36
41. FRANKFORD TOWNSHIP 35
42. PLAINFIELD CITY 34
43. NUTLEY TWP 31
44. KEARNY TOWN 30
45. BELMAR BOROUGH 28
46. WANTAGE TOWNSHIP 28
47. GREEN BROOK TWP 27
48. FAIR HAVEN BOROUGH 27
49. WOODBRIDGE TWP 26
50. FLORHAM PARK BOROUGH 25
51. Beach Haven Boro 24
52. HIGHLANDS BOROUGH 23
53. DELANCO TWP 22
54. UNION TWP 22
55. Long Beach Twp 22
56. LINDEN CITY 21
57. RARITAN TOWNSHIP 21
58. LIVINGSTON TWP 20
59. RAHWAY CITY 20
60. OCEAN TOWNSHIP 20
61. NEWTON TOWN 20
62. Margate City 20
63. HADDON HEIGHTS BORO 19
64. BLOOMFIELD TWP 19
65. DOVER TOWN 19
66. RIVER EDGE BORO 18
67. KEYPORT BOROUGH 18
68. BERGENFIELD BORO 17
69. HASBROUCK HEIGHTS BORO 16
70. PALMYRA BORO 16
71. BARNEGAT TOWNSHIP 16
72. ROCHELLE PARK TWP 15
73. OLD BRIDGE TOWNSHIP 15
74. JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP 15
75. SECAUCUS TOWN 14
76. MANSFIELD TWP 13
77. LACEY TOWNSHIP 13
78. BRIDGEWATER TOWNSHIP 12
79. EAST WINDSOR TOWNSHIP 11
80. SOUTH AMBOY CITY 11
81. SPRING LAKE BOROUGH 11
82. ANDOVER TOWNSHIP 11
83. West Cape May Boro 11
84. WESTFIELD TOWN 10
85. BRIELLE BOROUGH 10
86. MENDHAM TOWNSHIP 10
87. MANCHESTER TOWNSHIP 10
88. FAR HILLS BOROUGH 10
89. Galloway Twp 10
90. KENILWORTH BORO 9
91. FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP 9
92. MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP 9
93. TINTON FALLS BOROUGH 9
94. MONTVILLE TOWNSHIP 9
95. RANDOLPH TOWNSHIP 9
96. LAKEHURST BOROUGH 9
97. CEDAR GROVE TWP 8
98. HILLSIDE TWP 8
99. ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS BOROUGH 8
100. BRADLEY BEACH BOROUGH 8
101. HOWELL TOWNSHIP 8
102. MILLSTONE TOWNSHIP 8
103. RED BANK BOROUGH 8
104. MORRIS TOWNSHIP 8
105. WHARTON BOROUGH 8
106. BERKELEY HEIGHTS TOWNSHIP 8
107. SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP 8
108. JERSEY CITY 7
109. ALLENHURST BOROUGH 7
110. PEQUANNOCK TOWNSHIP 7
111. NEW PROVIDENCE BOROUGH 7
112. Upper Twp 7
113. WOODCLIFF LAKE BORO 6
114. CHERRY HILL TWP 6
115. UNION TOWNSHIP 6
116. Pleasantville City 6
117. HACKENSACK CITY 5
118. MIDDLESEX BORO 5
119. LITTLE SILVER BOROUGH 5

Here is the forecast:

• Tonight: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 7pm and 5am. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Monday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 7am. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 87. Light and variable wind. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
• Monday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 70. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Here is where the heat index was at its worst at 12:50 p.m.:

Here is where the heat index was at its worst at 12:15 p.m.:

Here is where the heat index was at its worst at 11 a.m.:

Here is where the heat index was at its worst at 11 a.m.:

Here is where the heat index was at its worst at 10:15 a.m.:

Here is where the heat index was at its worst at 9:45 a.m.: