Rare Strawberry Moon On First Day Of Summer, Plus Thunderstorms Likely Later This Week

Monday, June 20 is the first day of summer. Hot temperatures, which are expected this week, should not come as a surprise.

In addition to the heat, the days will be long. Sunset is at 8:33 p.m.on Monday. At 15 hours and 38 seconds, it's the longest day of the year.

To top it off, a rare "Strawberry Moon" will be on display in the night sky Monday. A Strawberry Moon has an amber glow and is very low, according to experts.

"The Sun gets super high so this Moon must be super-low. Even at its loftiest at 1 AM, it’s downright wimpy-low. This forces its light through thicker air, which also tends to be humid this time of year, and the combination typically makes it amber colored," according to an explanation in the Old Farmer's Almanac.

A Strawberry Moon coinciding with the first day of summer is uncommon, last occurring in 1967, according to the Washington Post. The astronomical event will be live-streamed by Slooh.com.

So that's what's on tap in the sky Monday.

But what can we expect in terms of the weather this week in New Jersey?

It will be hot early on, as we mentioned above. Highs Monday will climb to the low 90s in some parts of the region. On Tuesday and Wednesday expect highs in the 80s.

There is also a chance of thunderstorms Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, the National Weather Service says. The highest probability of thunderstorms is Thursday, when there is a 50 percent chance.

Here is the forecast:

Monday night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 67. Southwest wind around 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tuesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8am, then a slight chance of showers between 8am and noon, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Northwest wind 8 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tuesday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight. Mostly clear, with a low around 61. West wind around 6 mph becoming light and variable. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 85. West wind 8 to 13 mph.

Wednesday Night: A slight chance of showers after 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 61. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Thursday: A chance of thunderstorms before 8am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 8am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 79. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Thursday Night: A chance of showers before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 84.