After a calm and pleasant start to the week, another round of sweltering and violent summer weather is heading toward the Tri-State area on Wednesday – and this one is bringing a threat of tornadoes to the region.
Firstly, the extreme heat. Temperatures will reach 32°C on Wednesday, with dew points back into the 15°C, making the situation even more uncomfortable.
This level of heat and humidity will make temperatures feel like they will be in the mid 90s to near 100 degrees in some areas. The combination resulted in a heat advisory for Central and South Jersey.
Latest Storm Team 4 Predictions
Prolonged exposure to this level of heat can be dangerous to your health. During periods of high heat of the day, it is recommended to limit time spent outdoors, avoid strenuous activities and drink plenty of water.
The good news: the heat will be short-lived. The bad news: Relief comes from a cold front that also brings severe storms.
For most of the afternoon, our battle will be solely against the heat. With the exception of a few occasional showers or thunderstorms during the evening commute, it won’t be until later in the evening that storms become a more widespread concern.
If you can leave work a little early on Wednesday, it might be a good idea to avoid the rain altogether. Certainly, storm coverage and intensity will increase as the evening progresses, so avoid driving on the roads late at night if you can.
The storms will produce abundant lightning and some are expected to produce damaging wind and hail. Lesser concerns will be isolated minor flooding and flash tornadoes, which would be concentrated in and around North Jersey, western New York.
If it’s Wednesday evening that you take out the trash or recycle, consider waiting until Thursday morning so your trash isn’t taken around the block. Wind gusts could exceed 60 mph. Unstable trees or dead branches could also fall during storms.
Hail up to an inch in diameter could fall. It’s big enough to put dimples in a car.
The risk of tornadoes is low. If tornadoes form, they will likely occur west of New York, where conditions are most favorable. Expect these to be short-lived and produce very localized winds of 130 to 160 km/h, which could topple trees and damage homes.
The storm threat will be primarily from mid-evening to shortly after midnight, with the worst weather window extending from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Rain will continue overnight, but the severe threat will diminish after about 2 a.m.
Once the showers have cleared, temperatures return to near average and humidity drops to a comfortable level, making way for a wonderful work weekend.
