By: Madison Rosenberg, Community Journalist and Follow South Jersey Intern
July has been intense for New Jersey. Extreme temperatures during Independence Day weekend, flash flooding, and another heatwave all occurred in the first half of the month.
Atlantic City was the hottest place on the East Coast during the early July heatwave, reaching 106 degrees. Extreme storms caused flash flooding that led to roads in South Jersey becoming submerged. Road closures, flooded stores, and flooding near the Ben Franklin Bridge were all a result of the sudden and intense storms.
“It’s not uncommon in New Jersey summers to see wild rides like this,” said New Jersey State Climatologist John Krasting. “Heavy rain in July is consistent with what we see in the state. But I think what sort of made this event stand out… is that the strength of the area of high pressure that caused that heat wave, the heat dome.”
When high pressure sits over an area, the air becomes stagnant, according to Krasting. Heat builds up, and then the area of pressure breaks, unleashing storms.
However, during the early July storms, the area of high pressure didn’t move much. The rain clouds remained over New Jersey, resulting in flash floods.
Heavy rains aren’t all bad, though. New Jersey has been in a prolonged drought for two years, according to Krasting. The rain could help bring parts of South Jersey out of a state of emergency. Since the soil in Southern New Jersey is more sandy than the rest of the region, moisture isn’t absorbed as quickly as it would with regular soil.
Because a lack of moisture already exists within the soil, though, the heat from the sun is being focused onto the atmosphere, according to Krasting.
“If we had some more soil moisture around, some of that energy would be going into evaporating the water,” said Krasting. “But because it’s just dry, all that just goes right into the heat.”
According to the Drought Monitor, only two areas of South Jersey in late July were in extreme drought, or D3 status. The eastern section of South Jersey remains in severe drought, or D2 status. The rest of the state remains in D1 moderate drought status, or D0 abnormally dry status. There are no parts of New Jersey without drought.
Heat is becoming increasingly prominent in New Jersey’s climate. According to Krasting, New Jersey’s temperature has warmed by four degrees since 1900. He says to expect warming of six degrees Fahrenheit by 2100. The state has always experienced heat waves, but their length and rate of occurrence are set to increase as the state’s temperature continues to increase.
“We’re seeing heat waves start earlier in the season,” says Krasting. “The springtime is starting to get heat waves. We had a wave in May where we saw temperatures in the upper 90’s. Then we’re seeing it on the other side; the heat is lasting into the fall as well.”
On hot days, humidity can make temperatures feel higher than they actually are. According to Krasting, he and his colleagues expect the frequency of days that feel like 100 degrees or more to triple by 2050.
Nighttime temperatures are expected to increase as well, Krasting says. Humans are used to being able to cool off at nighttime, but if daytime temperatures continue to climb, so will minimum nighttime temperatures.
Without moisture in the soil to cool off the atmosphere, and greenhouse gases consistently being emitted, heat will become more extreme and cause greater ramifications for South Jersey residents.
There is some positive news, though. According to Krasting, the amount of annual greenhouse gas emissions is decreasing. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is still being emitted, but the rate of emissions has stabilized.
“What we really need is a concern and effort, not just in the United States, but worldwide,” said Krasting. “We need to get emissions down to what’s called net zero emissions… we need to find a way to actually start getting carbon out of the atmosphere as opposed to adding to it.”
Extensive research is still needed to find a solution to climate problems. While Krasting says there have been a lot of different ideas regarding decreasing emissions, coming to a solid conclusion has proven difficult.
“The climate system is so interconnected,” Krasting says. “All of the pieces rely on one another. If we apply any solutions, they’re called geoengineering solutions; what downstream impacts or ramifications is that going to have? Are we going to unintendedly do something else?”
During periods of extreme heat, New Jerseyans need to stay cool. Staying hydrated is the most important part of temperature regulation, according to Krasting. Finding somewhere with good air conditioning to stay in is also highly recommended. Keeping aware of your environment and becoming educated on climate and weather will consistently help New Jersey residents combat extreme weather.
“Even if we stopped emissions today, we would still have issues,” says Krasting. “We have to be aware of what those upcoming problems are and prioritize research.”
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