monthly precipitation totals by zip code

Statewide July precipitation averaged 2.19”, which is 2.52” below normal, ranking as the 13th driest on record. Northern counties averaged 75.9° (+2.2°, 9th warmest), southern counties 79.5° (+3.0°, 3rd warmest), and coastal areas 78.8° (+2.6°, tied as 4th warmest). The statewide average maximum was 88.6° (+2.9°, 6th warmest) and the minimum 67.5° (+2.4°, 4th warmest). Eight of the ten warmest Julys have occurred since 2010, leaving only 19 as top-ten outliers. The statewide average temperature of 78.1° was 2.7° above the 1991–2020 normal, ranking 6th warmest since records commenced in 1895. This year the heat was joined by quite limited precipitation, something not often seen in recent years. When it comes to recent hot Julys in New Jersey, the beat goes on. Less than half the normal monthly rainfall fell in a good portion of the north and in scattered areas of the south and north coast.

Exceptions were found in isolated west central and central coastal areas where several storms quickly deposited hefty totals. As the map shows, virtually the entire state had a monthly total below the statewide 4.57” normal. Statewide, August precipitation averaged 2.61”, which is 1.96” below normal, ranking as the 22nd driest. North Jersey averaged 75.7° (+3.8°, warmest on record), the south 78.4° (+3.8°, warmest on record), and the coast 77.9° (+3.2°, 3rd warmest). The average maximum of 88.5° was 4.7° above normal, the hottest on record, while the average minimum of 66.2° was 2.9° above normal, tied for 5th warmest. Eight of the ten warmest Augusts since 1895 have occurred since 2001. The August average temperature of 77.4° was 3.8° above the 1991–2020 normal, ranking as the hottest on record. More on summer ’22 later in this report, but first to discuss is a record hot and quite dry August. Despite a June with rather close-to-normal numbers, the two most recent months brought the summer temperature and precipitation to top-10 levels for hot and dry conditions. Much like this past July, August was a hotter and drier month than normal. This is 0.82” below normal, though ranks as just the 67th driest. NJ precipitation averaged 3.16” for September, which is 1.00” below normal and ranks as the 57th driest of the last 128 years. The average low was 57.3°, 0.7° above normal and ranking 23rd warmest. The average high temperature was 78.2°, which is 1.0° above normal and tied for 23rd warmest. This is 0.9° above the 1991–2020 normal and ties as the 22nd mildest September since statewide records commenced in 1895.

September temperatures averaged 67.8° across NJ. The temperature answer came in almost a flash on the 22nd (the first day of astronomical fall!) when a powerful cold front sent the thermometer quickly downward with an early-fall-like pattern arriving and remaining through month’s end. Signs of a rainfall resurgence were mixed, with drought conditions diminishing in spots but worsening in others. Following a hot and dry summer, the questions of the day in September were when the temperature would begin to cool and would more abundant rainfall arrive.

Monthly precipitation totals by zip code