The sneak peek of intense summer heat continues Wednesday, but it will be short-lived before severe storms help usher in a wet and chilly Memorial Day weekend.
For some, Tuesday marked the first heat wave of the year — and we’re still a month away from the official start of summer. Newark hit 97 on Tuesday, which followed 90 on Monday and 91 on Sunday. The heat wave will continue one more day Wednesday, with highs expected in the mid 90s.
Most areas fell short of record highs Tuesday, but highs still reached the mid to upper 90s for some.
Temperatures will be down a bit for everyone Wednesday, though highs are still expected to reach into the 90s. The bad news: It will be slightly more humid, so really it will feel about the same as Tuesday: unpleasant. A heat advisory will remain in place for parts of the tri-state Wednesday.
If you’re planning to be outside in the heat for long periods of time, keep your activity level low and drink plenty of water. Wednesday will still be the hottest days of the year so far, and this early in the season, extreme heat can be a shock to our bodies.
But the heat won’t linger after Wednesday.
Ahead of a cold front, a few severe storms can be expected in the afternoon across the region between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Most of the storms will be fairly routine, though damaging straight line wind will be the thing to watch for with the storms. An isolated severe storm could bring gusty winds and possibly even hail. Tornadoes are not expected.
Storms will clear the area on Wednesday night, with much cooler air poised to envelop the region into the Memorial Day Weekend, with some rain, too.
Highs will hold mainly in the 50s with rain likely as we head into Saturday. Temperatures will reach the mid 60s Sunday and likely hold there Monday, which looks to be the best day for outdoor plans. There could be a few showers early on in the day, but sun in the afternoon.
The tri-state will dry out completely and begin to warm up again, but that doesn’t come until after Memorial Day.
