It may be hard to imagine now, when it's steamy outside, but another late-spring cooldown is on the way.
If you like scorching-hot days in June, enjoy this heat wave while it lasts. In just a few days, New Jersey will be hit with another cooldown, with daytime temperatures running 20 to 24 degrees lower than they will be Monday and Tuesday.
In Newark, the mercury is expected to soar to 95 degrees on Monday -- which would tie the city's record high for June 12 -- followed by a high of 93 on Tuesday, 80 on Wednesday, then only 72 on Thursday and 71 on Friday, according to forecasters from the National Weather Service.
If this forecast pans out, that will be a 24-degree drop in the daytime high.
In Morristown, the temperature is forecast to reach 93 degrees on Monday but only 75 on Thursday and 71 on Friday. In Trenton, the mercury will soar to 95 on Monday but only 74 on Friday. At Atlantic City International Airport in Pomona, Monday's high is expected to reach 93 degrees, but temperatures will stay in the mid-70s on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, forecasters said.
Record-breaking heat possible today. Take breaks, drink water, stay in the A/C, and look before you lock. #pawx #njwx #mdwx #dewx pic.twitter.com/Q2VphVqvEu
-- NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) June 12, 2017
The normal high for mid-June in New Jersey ranges from 80 to 82 degrees.
So, after a brief heat wave, the region will be back to a cooler-than-normal weather pattern for several days, thanks to a cold front moving through from the Great Lakes. Forecasters say the cooldown will be short-lived, as temperatures warm up into the 80s this weekend and early next week, but intense 90-degree heat is not expected to return for at least two weeks.
Monday's record highs
Among the record highs for June 12 that are being watched:
- Newark: 95 degrees (1973)
- Philadelphia: 95 degrees (2015)
- Trenton: 94 degrees (1933)
- Atlantic City Airport: 93 degrees (2016)
- New York City: 93 degrees (1973)
- Reading: 93 degrees (2015)
- Allentown: 92 degrees (2015)
- Mount Pocono: 87 degrees (1967)
Today's hottest places
As of 12:55 p.m. Monday, these were among the hottest temperature readings reported at climate stations monitored by the New Jersey Weather & Climate Network at Rutgers University:
- Wayne (Passaic County): 95 degrees
- Hawthorne (Passaic County): 94 degrees
- New Brunswick (Middlesex County): 94 degrees
- West Creek (Ocean County): 94 degrees
- Oswego Lake (Burlington County): 93 degrees
- Red Lion (Burlington County): 93 degrees
Update: As of 4:45 p.m., New Brunswick has hit 97 degrees, Hawthorne has hit 96 degrees and Toms River has hit 96 degrees. Among the places that have reached 95 degrees are Berkeley Township, Caldwell, Hamilton, Haworth, Red Lion, Seaside Heights, Wayne and West Creek.
Atlantic City International Airport in Pomona reached 94 degrees at 2:04 p.m., breaking the site's previous June 12 record of 93 degrees, set in 1914 and again in 2016, according to the National Weather Service.
Newark Liberty International Airport soared to 97 degrees at 2:58 p.m., breaking the airport's old June 12 record of 95 degrees, set in 1973, the weather service confirmed.
Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality or like him on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.