Sunday's scattered storms put a damper on one of the last weekends of August, but brought much-needed rain to dry areas.
The heavy rain that drenched parts of New Jersey on Sunday may have spoiled some barbecues and other outdoor activities, but it happened to fall in a few areas that needed it the most because of the moderate drought conditions that have persisted this summer.
More than an inch and a half of rain fell Sunday in parts of Bergen County, where a drought watch has been in effect since late July. Parts of Cape May County, where conditions have been classified as "abnormally dry" by the U.S. Drought Monitor, received more than an inch of rain on Sunday, according to rainfall data from the New Jersey Weather & Climate Network at Rutgers University.
Big change coming to N.J. weather
The biggest rainfall total reported across the state was 1.92 inches in the Fortescue section of Downe Township, along the Delaware Bay in Cumberland County, followed by 1.66 inches in Ramsey in Bergen County.
The rain preceded a cold front that ushered in a wave of dry and comfortably warm air that's expected to stick around New Jersey through Wednesday, with temperatures remaining in the low 80s during the day and dipping into the upper 50s to low 60s at night.
Areas of New Jersey shaded in tan have moderate drought conditions, and areas shaded in yellow are "abnormally dry." (U.S. Drought Monitor) After that, the humidity will creep up a bit and temperatures will rise back into the upper 80s to around 90 on Friday, according to the National Weather Service. The good news: It shouldn't feel as oppressive as it did during the week-long heat wave that pestered the Garden State from Aug. 10 to Aug. 17.
For many New Jersey counties, the August heat was was the fourth heat wave of the summer, and in some areas it was the fifth heat wave.
Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality or like him on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.