How This NJ Heat Wave Compares to the Hottest on Record

If you’ve stepped outside this week, you already know, it’s hot hot. Like, walk-to-the-mailbox-and-immediately-regret-it kind of hot.

New Jersey is smack in the middle of a serious heat wave, with temperatures pushing into the upper 90s and muggy nights that barely drop below 75 degrees.

It’s the kind of weather that makes your air conditioner your best friend, and a bottle of water feels like liquid gold.

Read More: Mama's Kitchen is Set To Open in Lawrenceville, NJ

I personally am a fan of summer and the heat, but the heat wave that's coming to New Jersey is even too much for me! 

Although it is so hot this week, just how bad is it compared to New Jersey’s worst heat ever?

How Hot Is It Going To be in New Jersey This Week? (June 21-28)

Let’s start with this week. In places like Newark, we’re seeing highs could go up to anywhere between 90–98 degrees from June 20–26, with lows sticking around 72–80 degrees overnight.

That kind of nonstop heat and humidity is dangerous, especially for people without A/C.

What Is The Hottest Week Ever Recorded in New Jersey?

Now compare that to the hottest temperature ever recorded in New Jersey which is a whopping 110 degrees in Runyon (Middlesex County) on July 10, 1936. Back then, air conditioning wasn’t nearly as common, which honestly makes surviving that week a whole different level of heroic.

When Was The Longest Heat Wave in New Jersey's History?

The longest heat wave in NJ history? That happened in 1988, lasting 20 straight days. More recently, Newark saw 8 days in a row over 100 degrees in July 2022.

So, no, it doesn’t seem like we’re breaking records this week, but we’re definitely getting a taste of the extreme.

Stay cool out there, NJ. It’s not going to be an easy week for people who hate the heat!