Freeze warnings issued in 16 counties, with temperatures forecast to dive into low 30s

The calendar claims it’s the top of April, nevertheless it’s feeling extra like early March in New Jersey — with temperatures anticipated to dip down into the low 30s in a single day Thursday into early Friday morning.

The chilly forecast has prompted the Nationwide Climate Service to situation freeze warnings in 16 of the state’s 21 counties.

The warnings might be energetic from 1 a.m. to eight a.m. Friday in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape Might, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Salem, Somerset, Sussex and Warren counties.

If winds change into calm, temperatures might drop as little as 30 to 32 levels, the climate service stated, noting gusty winds in some areas might maintain readings above the freezing mark.

Regardless, any “frost and freeze situations will kill crops and different delicate vegetation,” the climate service famous, saying householders and enterprise house owners ought to take steps to guard tender out of doors crops from the chilly temperatures.

Masking these crops or transferring them indoors in a single day are widespread steps that might assist save them from harm.

In the meantime, most of New Jersey might be below a hearth climate watch or purple flag warnings on Friday — for the second time in two days — due to very dry air, dry brush on the bottom and gusty winds that might trigger any small brush fires or bigger wildfires to rapidly unfold.

Temperatures in late April usually vary from lows of 45 to 48 levels in most areas of the state, and 40 levels far north in Sussex County, with highs normally reaching the mid-60s to higher 60s.

Through the afternoon on Thursday, regardless of largely sunny skies, temperatures have been caught within the 50s throughout a lot of the state. And robust gusty winds made it really feel prefer it was within the 40s.

Morning readings have been as chilly as 27 levels in Vernon Township and 30 levels at Excessive Level Monument, each in Sussex County. That’s with out the wind chill factored in.

Even down in South Jersey, the temperature at Atlantic Metropolis Worldwide Airport dipped as little as 36 levels Thursday morning, and the wind made it really feel as chilly as 29 levels at occasions.

Present climate radar

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Len Melisurgo could also be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com.