An unwelcome guest may be showing up at some of New Jersey’s Fourth of July celebrations on Thursday — stormy weather.
That’s the word from the National Weather Service, which says scattered rain showers and thunderstorms, some of which may become severe with heavy downpours and damaging wind gusts, are expected to pop up in the Garden State Thursday afternoon and Thursday evening as a warm front moves across our region.
“It won’t be an all-day-type rain event, but unfortunately the timing won’t be great as it could interfere with Independence Day festivities,” the weather service’s Mount Holly forecast office said Wednesday morning.
Some isolated showers or thunderstorms could break out early Thursday morning, especially in northwestern sections of New Jersey and northeastern Pennsylvania, but the threat of wet weather will likely grow higher across the entire region later in the day on July 4th, forecasters said.
For most of the state, Thursday will be starting off with partly sunny skies, with temperatures rising into the upper 80s in the afternoon and humidity levels climbing high to uncomfortable levels, forecasters said. So even if it doesn’t rain in your area, it’s expected to be a hot and sticky Independence Day.
More storms could arrive Friday and Saturday
Forecasters say rain showers and thunderstorms may impact New Jersey on Saturday, July 6, with some storms becoming severe with damaging winds, heavy downpours and possible flash flooding.National Weather Service
High heat and high humidity will be lingering into Friday and Saturday, with mostly cloudy skies, temperatures rising into the upper 80s to low 90s, and heat index readings — how hot it feels when the temperature is combined with the humidity — as high as 95 to 100 degrees.
Forecasters say there’s a chance of spotty showers and thunderstorms on Friday, but rain and thunderstorms will likely become more widespread on Saturday, with some of those storms having the potential to drop heavy rain and lead to isolated areas of flash flooding, river flooding and stream flooding.
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Stories by Len Melisurgo
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Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com or on X at @LensReality.