'Widespread' Rainfall Finally In New Jersey's Forecast
NEW JERSEY — A small bit of relief is in the cards amid New Jersey's unprecedented dry spell, according to the latest forecast - a chance of rain across the entire Garden State is predicted for this weekend.
The region's drought began on Sept. 15, and no area has seen significant rainfall since then. It's caused numerous wildfires to break out statewide, with the latest igniting Wednesday evening in Jackson . But there's a glimmer of hope, as measurable rainfall is forecasted for Sunday night. A graphic from the National Weather Service shows a 70 percent chance of rain for all of New Jersey.
Anywhere from 0.1 to 0.5 inches could fall, the National Weather Service said.
"This will likely NOT put any meaningful dent in the drought, but we'll certainly take anything we can get!" The National Weather Service said.
The latest map from the U.S. Drought Monitor , updated Nov. 7, shows that most of Ocean, Burlington and Atlantic counties are in "extreme drought" conditions. Much of the state is in "severe drought" conditions with a few pockets of North Jersey only in "moderate drought."
Until this weekend, though, dry air will continue, increasing the risk of wildfires. Temperatures are unseasonably high as well - Trenton and Atlantic City both hit records Wednesday and may set records again on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.
Later into next week, the chance of rainfall continues. Significant rainfall - such as that from a tropical storm - is needed in order to fully quell drought conditions.
Here's the latest forecast.
North Jersey
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 78. Northwest wind 9 to 14 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 44. Northwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 71. Light west wind increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 41. Northwest wind 11 to 14 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 58. Northwest wind 8 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 37.
Sunday: Increasing clouds, with a high near 60.
Sunday Night: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a low around 52. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent.
Central Jersey
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 40. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 70. Breezy, with a light west wind increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the morning.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 40. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 58. North wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 32.
Sunday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61.
Sunday Night: Showers. Low around 51. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.
South Jersey
Thursday: A slight chance of showers before noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 79. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 40. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
