drought

Scorching: June 2024 and January–June Recaps

July 7, 2024 - 2:17pm -- Dave Robinson

Photo of a rain shaft over lower Greenwood Lake (Passaic County) taken from Hewitt on June 7th (photo courtesy of Rich Stewart).

Above-average temperatures ruled in June. So, what else is new? As will be seen later in this report, the first half of 2024 ranked as the second warmest since statewide records commenced in 1895. June 2024 was also the 7th consecutive month with temperatures above the 1991–2020 average and 10th of the last 12 in that category. June itself came in as New Jersey’s 2nd warmest, tied with 1943 and just behind 2010. Six of the 11 warmest have occurred since 2005. The 73.6° average was 3.3° above normal. The average high of 85.1° was 4.1° above normal, tied for the 2nd warmest, and the average low of 62.0° was 2.4° above normal, ranking 4th warmest. Each of the three NOAA state climate divisions had their 2nd warmest June. The north averaged 71.7° (+3.1°), south 74.8° (+3.4°), and coast 73.8° (+3.3°).

As often occurs during the warm season, the rainfall pattern was a mixed bag as the month progressed and also across the state on any given day. Overall, the state experienced a dry month, with the majority of the state considered Abnormally Dry (D0) in the last US Drought Monitor assessment of the month. With some rain falling after the June 30th approximate 7–8 AM observing time of most National Weather Service Cooperative and Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) stations, any daytime or evening rain is entered into the record book as falling on July 1st. Thus, the official map below does not include some of the heavy post-observing time heavy rain in Cape May County the morning of the 30th nor rain occurring elsewhere in the state later in the day. For the month, the state average 2.74”, which is 1.56” below normal and ranks 28th driest. The north averaged 2.23” (-2.38”, 13th driest), south 3.07” (-1.07”, 49th driest), and coast 2.84” (-1.01”, 51st driest).

Strange, Just Plain Strange: June 2023 Recap, Plus First Half of 2023 Review

July 11, 2023 - 9:38pm -- Dave Robinson

Wildfire smoke blankets downtown Paterson (Passaic County) on June 7th. Photo by Steve Hockstein/NJ Advance Media.

There is rarely a month in New Jersey where something interesting, exciting, and different than normal doesn’t occur in the weather and climate department. However, not often do you find a month like this past June where one is left with their head spinning as smoke from near and distant wildfires darkened the sky, creating exceptionally unhealthy air quality, where growing drought concerns were quieted in most locations by late-month downpours, where two tornadoes touched down, and with temperatures averaging cooler than normal for the second consecutive month. Strange, indeed.

June temperatures across the state averaged 67.8°. This was 2.5° below the 1991–2020 mean and tied as the 36th coolest June since 1895. The average daily maximum temperature of 79.0° was 2.0° below normal and ranks 40th coolest. The daily minimum averaged 56.6°, 3.0° below normal and was 35th coolest. The northern NJ climate division averaged 66.1° (-2.5°, 33rd coolest), the southern division averaged 68.9° (-2.5°, 36th coolest), and the coastal division averaged 68.2° (-2.3°, 45th coolest). Both May and June averaged below normal, the first such back-to-back occurrence in NJ since April and May 2020.

NJ June precipitation averaged 3.87”. This was 0.43” below normal, however, it ranks as the 53rd wettest of the past 129 years (or 77th driest) due to the skewed nature of the distribution of monthly precipitation over this period. The north averaged 5.13” (+0.52”, 29th wettest [101st driest]), the south 3.19” (-0.95”, 51st driest [79th wettest]), and the coast 2.20” (-1.65”, 28th driest [102nd wettest]).

An Odd One: April 2023 Recap

May 8, 2023 - 5:15pm -- Dave Robinson

A vivid rain shaft accompanies a thunderstorm as seen from Hardyston Twp. (Sussex County) on April 15th, 2023. Photo courtesy of Yulia Karpova.

What can you say about a month that began with a swarm of tornadoes, finished with flooding rain, and in between, featured record heat, wildfires, and increasing drought concerns? Best to say that it was an odd one! Fitting this theme, the statewide average temperature of 55.4° was 3.9° above the 1991–2020 normal. This ranks as the third warmest April on record (since 1895) only behind 2017 and 2010 for top honors. April was the fifth month of the past ten ranking in the top 10, joining July (#7), August (#1), January (#1), and February (#5). The first four months of 2023 come in as the warmest start of the year on record with an average of 44.4°. This exceeds the previous record of 44.2° in 2012, with seven of the 10 warmest January–April periods (1895–present) occurring since 2002. The average April maximum temperature across NJ was 67.4° (+4.7°, 3rd warmest) and the average minimum was 43.4° (+3.1°, 5th warmest). Northern counties averaged 53.5° in April (+3.6°, 5th warmest), southern counties 56.6° (+4.0, 2nd warmest), and the coastal zone 55.8° (+4.1°, 2nd warmest).

April precipitation averaged 5.84” across New Jersey. This was 2.14” above normal, ranking as the 10th wettest on record. It was the wettest April since 2007 and second wettest since 1983. All but scattered areas in the northwest received above-normal precipitation, the greatest amounts falling near the Atlantic and Delaware Bay coasts. Northern counties averaged 5.55” (+1.65”, 26th wettest), southern counties 6.04” (+2.49”, 7th wettest), and the coastal zone 5.94” (+2.39”, 10th wettest). It is important to note that these totals and those for individual stations in the next section, do not include heavy rain that fell after standard early morning observation times at CoCoRaHS and National Weather Service Cooperative stations on April 30th. These rains were reported in morning observations on May 1st, thus will be included in May totals.

Does Anybody Really Know What Month It Is?: January 2023 Recap

February 7, 2023 - 5:47pm -- Dave Robinson

The pronounced snowline (at about 1000 feet elevation) near the base of Sunrise Mountain as seen from Rt 519 in the Beemerville section of Wantage (Sussex County) at 4:25 PM on January 23rd. Photo courtesy of Karen Walsh.

January 2023 was unlike most any first month of the year a New Jersey resident has experienced. Temperatures were similar to those normally seen in March and accumulating snowfall was meager in the north and non-existent further south. NJ weather was more like that of the piedmont of North and South Carolina at this time of year. The statewide average temperature of 41.0° was 9.3° above the 1991–2020 normal and ties with 1932 as the mildest January since records commenced in 1895. The average high of 48.9° was 8.6° above normal, ranking 2nd mildest. The average low of 33.1° was 9.9° above normal, also ranking 2nd mildest. It is indeed impressive to see the January 2023 monthly mean 0.7° warmer than the normal monthly high temperature and the average low was 1.4° above the normal monthly mean. The NCEI northern division averaged 38.8° (+9.9°, rank #1), the southern division 42.3° (+8.9°, #2), and the coastal division 43.0° (+8.6°, #2).

January precipitation averaged 3.65” across NJ, which is 0.16” above normal and ranks as the 45th wettest on record. This includes rain that fell during the PM hours of December 31st, as the clock starts on the new month (and in this case, also the new year) once observations are gathered at most NWS Cooperative stations around 7–8 AM each morning (much as what occurred on November 30, 2022, contributing to December totals). The northern division was wettest, averaging 4.19” of rain and melted snowfall (+0.69”, 31st wettest), the southern division 3.36” (-0.11”, 56th wettest), and the coastal division 3.01” (-0.50”, 78th wettest/52nd driest).

Seeking Identities:December 2022 and Annual 2022 Recaps

January 6, 2023 - 9:53pm -- Dave Robinson

Strong winds push waves and spray onshore after a cold frontal passage on December 23rd in Seaside Heights (photo credit: Daniel Nee/Lavallette-Seaside Shorebeat).

As has so often been the situation in 2022, December’s weather never settled into any persistent pattern. Unless, of course, a pattern of frequent variations constitutes persistence! In any case, it seems appropriate to co-label this combined monthly and annual report as intervals in search of identities!

Looking first at December, the statewide average temperature of 35.5° is 1.1° below the 1991–2020 normal. This ranks as the 44th mildest December dating back to 1895. The statewide average maximum temperature of 44.9° is 0.1° below normal and ranked 31st mildest. The average minimum was 26.1°, which is 2.1° below normal and ranks 54th mildest. North Jersey averaged 33.3° (-0.8°, 36th mildest), south Jersey 36.8° (-1.3°, 49th mildest), and the Jersey coast 37.7° (-1.4°, 50th mildest).

Statewide precipitation averaged 4.76”, which is 0.49” above normal and ranks 35th wettest. North Jersey averaged 4.93” (+0.68”, 32nd wettest), south Jersey 4.68” (+0.40”, 37th wettest), and the Jersey coast 4.49” (+0.13”, 43rd wettest). The wettest locations were in the northeast and along the northern coast, while the northwest and much of the south were on the drier side.

ONJSC's Top 10 NJ Weather and Climate Events of 2022

January 3, 2023 - 7:14pm -- Dave Robinson

Trees and grass impacted by excessively dry conditions on Livingston Campus at Rutgers University in Piscataway (Middlesex County), as the summer drought ranked as the #1 most impactful weather/climate events of 2022 . Photo taken by D. Robinson on August 1st, 2022.

For the 14th consecutive year, we in the state climate office have evaluated the myriad daily, monthly, and annual observations gathered across New Jersey during the course of the year to choose what we feel were the most significant and impactful 10 weather and climate events of 2022. More about each event can be found in the monthly narratives posted on our website. You might be tempted to rearrange the rankings, particularly as some of the events on the list may have affected you more than others ranked higher. Or perhaps you best recall one that didn't make the list. That's the enjoyment and frustration of lists! Unless stated otherwise, statewide values are based on an average of several dozen stations. The period of record for monthly, seasonal, and annual departures is 1991–2020; while for extremes and rankings it is from 1895–present. Observations are mainly drawn from National Weather Service Cooperative Observing Program stations, Rutgers NJ Weather Network stations, and NJ Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network locations.

True Fall Colors: October 2022 Recap

November 7, 2022 - 6:00pm -- Dave Robinson

Brilliant fall foliage looking up towards High Point Monument (Sussex County) on October 22nd. Photo courtesy of Chris Stachelski.

There are years when many say that New Jersey didn’t experience “classic” fall weather. This October is not one of those years, as the month included rain, wind, and coastal flooding from the persistent remnants of a hurricane, many locations received their first frost and freezing temperatures to end the growing season, and there were days with a cloud-free deep-blue sky. October certainly showed its true fall colors.

October temperatures averaged 54.1° across NJ. This is 1.3° below the 1991–2020 normal and was the coolest October since 2009. It was the 57th coolest (tied with 4 other years) of the 128 since 1895. The average high was 64.5° which is 1.3° below normal and is the 48th coolest (tied with 3 years). The average low of 43.6° is 1.3° below normal and ranks 65th coolest (tied with 4 years). Northern NJ averaged 52.1° (-1.2°, 59th coolest [tied with 2 years]), southern 55.1° (-1.4°, 56th coolest [tied with 3 years]), and coastal 56.6° (-1.0°, 70th coolest [tied with 1 year]).

Rainfall was abundant, averaging 6.45” statewide. This is 2.26” above normal and ranks 10th wettest on record. It was the wettest since the record October 2005. Ten different decades are found in the top 15 years. The north averaged 5.88” (+1.43”, 21st wettest), south 6.75” (+2.72”, 6th wettest), and coast 7.53” (+3.44”, 3rd wettest). Coastal Monmouth, Ocean, and Atlantic counties were wettest, coming in at two to three times normal totals. While coming in close to normal, the driest areas were in the north central, far southern, and southwest regions.

Flipping the Seasonal Switch: September 2022 Recap

October 6, 2022 - 11:47am -- Dave Robinson

Low-lying radiation fog crossing the road in Sparta on the morning of September 24th.

Following a hot and dry summer, the questions of the day in September were when the temperature would begin to cool and would more abundant rainfall arrive. Signs of a rainfall resurgence were mixed, with drought conditions diminishing in spots but worsening in others. The temperature answer came in almost a flash on the 22nd (the first day of astronomical fall!) when a powerful cold front sent the thermometer quickly downward with an early-fall-like pattern arriving and remaining through month’s end.

September temperatures averaged 67.8° across NJ. This is 0.9° above the 1991–2020 normal and ties as the 22nd mildest September since statewide records commenced in 1895. The average high temperature was 78.2°, which is 1.0° above normal and tied for 23rd warmest. The average low was 57.3°, 0.7° above normal and ranking 23rd warmest. North Jersey came in at 65.7° (+0.8°, tied for 23rd warmest), the south 69.0° (+0.9°, tied for 21st warmest), and the coast 69.7° (+1.0°, 15th warmest).

NJ precipitation averaged 3.16” for September, which is 1.00” below normal and ranks as the 57th driest of the last 128 years. The north was wettest at 3.64”. This is 0.82” below normal, though ranks as just the 67th driest. The south came in with 2.86” (-1.13”, 51st driest) and the coast 2.98” (-0.91”, 57th driest).

Roasting: August 2022 Recap and Summer Overview

September 7, 2022 - 8:17pm -- Dave Robinson

The Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (Morris County) on August 24th. While August 22nd rain proved beneficial, the water level is normally higher. Photo taken by D. Robinson.

Much like this past July, August was a hotter and drier month than normal. Despite a June with rather close-to-normal numbers, the two most recent months brought the summer temperature and precipitation to top-10 levels for hot and dry conditions. More on summer ’22 later in this report, but first to discuss is a record hot and quite dry August.

The August average temperature of 77.4° was 3.8° above the 1991–2020 normal, ranking as the hottest on record. Eight of the ten warmest Augusts since 1895 have occurred since 2001. The average maximum of 88.5° was 4.7° above normal, the hottest on record, while the average minimum of 66.2° was 2.9° above normal, tied for 5th warmest. North Jersey averaged 75.7° (+3.8°, warmest on record), the south 78.4° (+3.8°, warmest on record), and the coast 77.9° (+3.2°, 3rd warmest).

Statewide, August precipitation averaged 2.61”, which is 1.96” below normal, ranking as the 22nd driest. The north came in at 2.31” (-2.25”, 18th driest), south 2.82” (-1.75”, 29th driest), and coast 2.54” (-2.06”, 25th driest). As the map shows, virtually the entire state had a monthly total below the statewide 4.57” normal. Exceptions were found in isolated west central and central coastal areas where several storms quickly deposited hefty totals. Less than half the normal monthly rainfall fell in a good portion of the north and in scattered areas of the south and north coast.

Once Again Hot, and This Time Around, Dry: July 2022 Recap

August 6, 2022 - 11:14am -- Dave Robinson

Trees and grass impacted by excessively dry conditions on Livingston Campus at Rutgers University in Piscataway (Middlesex County). Photo taken by D. Robinson on August 1st.

When it comes to recent hot Julys in New Jersey, the beat goes on. This year the heat was joined by quite limited precipitation, something not often seen in recent years. The statewide average temperature of 78.1° was 2.7° above the 1991–2020 normal, ranking 6th warmest since records commenced in 1895. Eight of the ten warmest Julys have occurred since 2010, leaving only 1955 and 1999 as top-ten outliers. The statewide average maximum was 88.6° (+2.9°, 6th warmest) and the minimum 67.5° (+2.4°, 4th warmest). Northern counties averaged 75.9° (+2.2°, 9th warmest), southern counties 79.5° (+3.0°, 3rd warmest), and coastal areas 78.8° (+2.6°, tied as 4th warmest).

Statewide July precipitation averaged 2.19”, which is 2.52” below normal, ranking as the 13th driest on record. Of the top 15, only two have occurred this century. The north averaged 2.03” (-2.69”, 14th driest), south 2.30” (-2.44”, 14th driest), and coast 2.16” (-2.22”, 17th driest). The central portion of the state was driest, with less than 2.00” accumulating, and under an inch in the driest areas. Closer-to-normal totals were found in the northwest, northeast, and southwest. At month’s end, portions of central NJ were classified as being in moderate drought (D1) on the weekly U.S. Drought Monitor map. This denotes conditions not seen more than once every five to ten years. Surrounding central and northern areas were considered abnormally dry (D0), as was the southeast corner of the state. This all coincides quite well with the most pronounced precipitation deficits of the past month.

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