New Jersey Climate – July 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, Elizabeth, and Edison
Summary
A combination of severe heat and torrential rainfall made for a turbulent midsummer in New Jersey. At least 29 heat-related fatalities were reported across the state following a deadly heatwave earlier in the month that pushed temperatures past 40°C in several towns. Overall, the month finished 1.1°C above the long-term average, making it the 25th warmest July in records extending back to 1950, while heavy downpours brought 163.32 mm of rain. A moderate El Niño in the tropical Pacific, tracked at ENSO, is forecast to peak at Very Strong in Sep-Nov, with elevated temperatures expected to persist over the coming months.
This month in numbers
The month recorded an average temperature of 24.33°C, placing it 1.1°C above the 1961-1990 baseline as the 25th warmest July on record. Average maximum temperatures reached 30°C, while rainfall totalled 163.32 mm, 51 mm above average, ranking as the 12th wettest July on record. Taking the broader 3-month period from May to July, average temperatures reached 21.04°C, marking the 12th warmest May-July period on record. Globally, land temperatures during the month were the 3rd warmest on record (+1.6°C above baseline), while the May-July global land temperature ranked 2nd highest.
What changed
The warmer-than-average month extended a mild late-spring and early-summer period across the Mid-Atlantic. New Jersey's 3-month temperature anomaly of +1.3°C ranked as its 12th warmest May-July on record. On a global scale, New Jersey ranked 176th of 232 regions tracked for its 1-month temperature anomaly. Within the NOAA Northeast region, New Jersey was the 4th warmest of 11 states in July, sitting 0.10°C above the regional group mean.
What’s driving change?
Extreme weather conditions during the month were amplified by persistent high-pressure that trapped hot air over the eastern United States, alongside the effect, which limited overnight cooling in built-up urban areas. from preceding dry spells further heightened daytime heating, contributing to persistent drought conditions. Subsequent atmospheric dynamics then triggered severe flash flooding, with active events across New Jersey tracked on our live map at Extreme Weather tracker.
Looking ahead
Official seasonal outlooks indicate a strong likelihood of above-average temperatures across the Northeast United States over the next 1-3 months.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – USUnited States
Source: NOAA Climate at a Glance — US states & climate regions (tavg, pcp), plus GPCC (Snow, water-equivalent). Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline. See methodology.
Typical Climate – New Jersey
Köppen Cfa · TemperateNew Jersey has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfa: Humid subtropical), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 25.1°C, while January is the coldest at 0.7°C. Annual precipitation averages around 1205mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Monthly climate normals (2016–2025) - bar colour and height show average temperature, the shaded area shows average monthly rain, with snow (water-equivalent) shown separately.
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Long-Term Trends
Combined Timeline – New Jersey
Precipitation, Sunshine, Frost and Snow are converted to standard deviations from their own average so they can share an axis with Temperature.
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Heatwave Days – New Jersey
Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - days in a 6+ day run above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that time of year.
Data: World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5-derived). Refreshed roughly 1-2x/year, ~7-8 months behind present.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – New Jersey
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Monthly Temperature – New Jersey
Background lines show the last 40 years (plus the record year and its opposite, wherever they fall).
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Records – New Jersey
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)) - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsKöppen Dfa · ContinentalHow spring and autumn have shifted in New Jersey. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (10.9°C, from 1950–1979); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 24.6°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Feb (+3.3°C).
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for New Jersey
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
Statewide monthly temperature and precipitation (nClimDiv).
Frost Days and Heatwave Days (Warm Spell Duration Index), ERA5-derived. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal.
Monthly snow water-equivalent, Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD).
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in New Jersey changing?
New Jersey is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
What is the climate like in New Jersey?
New Jersey has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfa: Humid subtropical), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 25.1°C, while January is the coldest at 0.7°C. Annual precipitation averages around 1205mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Where does the climate data for New Jersey come from?
Climate data for New Jersey comes from NOAA Climate at a Glance (temperature and precipitation), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the New Jersey climate data cover?
The New Jersey climate profile covers Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, Elizabeth and surrounding areas. New Jersey climate data from NOAA Climate at a Glance
How often is the New Jersey climate update refreshed?
The New Jersey climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.
What counts as a Heatwave Day on the New Jersey climate page?
Heatwave Days use the Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI-standard heatwave measure: days that are part of a run of 6 or more consecutive days above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that calendar day. The 90th-percentile threshold varies by time of year (a hot day in January is judged differently to one in July) but is fixed to the 1961-1990 baseline for every year shown - it does not shift as the climate warms, which is why Heatwave Days trend upward over time.
Does the New Jersey climate page include frost and snow data?
Yes. Frost Days (days with a minimum temperature below 0°C, World Bank CCKP) and snow water-equivalent (GPCC) are shown alongside temperature and precipitation, each measured against the 1961-1990 baseline where a like-for-like historical comparison is available.