Thunderstorms ease N.J. drought concerns

In New Jersey, weekend storms eased drought, but in the hot weather they can easily return.

There’s an upside to the thunderstorms that roared through the region this weekend. In New Jersey, the heavy rain fall has eased concerns about a potential drought.

State climatologist Dave Robinson says most of the rain that occurs in July comes from thunderstorms. As a result of recent storms, rainfall for the month is now above average in parts of North and South Jersey.

“The good news there, is that includes our agricultural heartland down in the southwest and where our water resources are mostly found in the northern part of the state,” he says.

But Robinson says coastal and central portions of the state are still dry with less than an inch of rain so far this month. But, if we have another string of hot, dry days in August, Robinson says that would again increase worries about a drought.