What to Know
- The unsettled weather that has throttled the tri-state area all week got one last lick before clearing out for the Fourth of July
- The mercury is expected to fall back to the mid 80s by Saturday, with less humidity
- The first heat wave of Summer 2020 could come next week, with forecasts predicting temps around 90 for four consecutive days starting Tuesday
A week of intense storms and rising temperatures takes a short pause for the July 4th holiday, keeping much of the humidity at bay before a significant heat waves approaches next week.
The mercury is expected to fall back to the mid 80s by Saturday, with less humidity. Temperatures will inch up a bit higher Sunday, though it won't feel as muggy as earlier parts of the week, and no significant rain is expected to dampen the July 4 weekend.
Skies overhead should stay dry, making it a great day to barbecue or visit a beach. Just don't forget the sunscreen.
Conditions for the holiday will certainly be more comfortable than they were on Thursday, as Central Park saw its hottest day of the year so far at 91 degrees. LaGuardia hit 94 degrees, while Newark hit 95 — both highs for 2020 thus far.
Thursday and Friday's heat is just a sign of blazing warmth to come. The first heat wave of Summer 2020 could hit next week, with Storm Team 4 predicting temps around 90 for at least four consecutive days starting Monday or Tuesday, and lasting into the weekend.
Local
The hot weather comes after this week's brief but fierce storms, dropping quarter-sized hail in spots while torrential rain soaked streets and strong winds downed trees in others. Water rescues were reported in parts of New Jersey Wednesday as torrential rain prompted flash flood warnings in several counties. Check the latest weather alerts for your neighborhood here.
Track the approaching storms using our interactive radar below.