Will intense heat return in July? Here’s the early forecast for N.J.

The intense heat wave that smothered New Jersey during the past several days has finally broken. But will the state be sweltering again with triple-digit temperatures in July?

Long-range weather forecasters say the new month, which starts on Tuesday, will get off to a fairly hot start, with afternoon temperatures hovering in the upper 80s to low 90s. Added to the mix will be a decent chance of rain showers or thunderstorms Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday night.

After that, sunny skies should dominate on Wednesday and Thursday, with afternoon temperatures rising into the upper 80s, according to the National Weather Service.

That could be a taste of what’s in store for most of July.

The Climate Prediction Center says the weather pattern that’s shaping up is favoring a hotter than average July in the New Jersey region. Forecasters also say the odds favor a wetter than average July.

That doesn’t mean every day will be steamy and rainy, but long-range forecasters are expecting the 31 days of July to average out above normal in terms of temperatures and rainfall.

Based on the past 30 years of weather data, afternoon temperatures in New Jersey typically rise to 85 to 87 degrees in July.

Because of the high humidity and frequent threats of thunderstorms, July is usually one of the wettest months of the year. New Jersey typically gets 4.4 to 4.7 inches of rain during this period.

Current weather radar

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Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com or on X at @LensReality.