'Drenching' Thunderstorms Will End N.J. Drought, Torrid Heat

9/9/2015 (Permalink)

WEATHER ALERT: 'Drenching' Thunderstorms Will End N.J. Drought, Torrid Heat

New Jersey has essentially gone 18 days without rain, and a heat wave has forced a number of school districts to close early.

It all should end tonight.

A torrid upper-90-degree heat wave that’s capped an 18-day drought should come to end Wednesday night and Thursday as drenching thunderstorms are expected to arrive in the region.

The National Weather Service has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for all of New Jersey, saying showers and thunderstorms producing heavy rain may lead to flooding in poor drainage and low-lying areas through Thursday.

”We are looking at a front this evening and we’re looking at some pretty good rain, just a lot of rain,” said Jim Bunker, a National Weather Service Meteorologist.

Despite having a “small trace” of rain on Aug. 31, New Jersey hasn’t had anything since Aug. 21, when .52 inches fell in the state.

A number of towns have imposed water restrictions, and a numbers of school districts closed early on Tuesday as they battle the effects of heat and drought.