Weather To Weequehela (New Jersey)

Weather. New Jersey’s weather offers something for everyone. In a month’s time, daily record high and low temperatures may be broken, tornadoes may touch down as a severe thunderstorm passes through, and a snowstorm may blanket the region (while rare, all did occur in November 1989). A single twelvemonth period may bring serious drought, an inundating flood, extreme heat, numbing cold, a damaging hurricane, and a stinging snowstorm (for instance, February 1999 to January 2000). In turn, a relatively cool summer, crisp, clear fall, manageable winter, and mild spring are enjoyed from time to time. New Jersey’s weather and climate potpourri is a result of its middle-latitude location. This geographic positioning results in the state being influenced by wet, dry, hot, and cold airstreams, making for four relatively well defined seasons and leading to potential clashes between cold and warmth that trigger occasional, severe conditions.

Fortunately, most of the threatening weather and climate events affecting New Jersey fail to reach the extremes experienced elsewhere. This is attributable to New Jersey’s proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, which tends to warm the state in winter and generally keep the summer heat in check. The neighboring Atlantic also inhibits severe thunderstorms, and waters are not warm enough to sustain strong hurricanes coming from the south. The absence of major mountains also reduces the chance of some extremes.

Although New Jersey is the fifth smallest state in the nation, with a land area of 7,836 square miles, it has five distinct climate regions: Northwestern, Central/Northeast, Pine Barrens, Southwest, and Coastal. The geology, distance from the Atlantic Ocean, and prevailing atmospheric flow patterns produce notable variations in the daily weather among the regions. An impressive variety of weather events may occur simultaneously. For example, a strong nor’easter (a major storm system with winds from the northeast that moves up the Atlantic coast) on December 11, 1992, brought coastal flooding, excessive rainfall, high winds, and heavy snow. Sometimes a situation may arise where one portion of New Jersey takes the brunt of a particular event while the remainder of the state remains relatively unscathed.

Despite regional differences, the dominant feature of the atmospheric circulation over New Jersey and much of North America is the broad, undulating flow from west to east. These "prevailing westerlies” shift north and south and vary in strength during the course of the year, exerting a major influence on the weather.

The winter brings the strongest westerlies in their southernmost position of the year. The windiest zone is the polar jet stream; this rapidly flowing river of air serves as the boundary between cold air to the north and milder air to the south. Storms form where the cold and warm air clash, and every few days the state is threatened by an area of low atmospheric pressure. The result may be just some clouds or some light rain or snow.

Scene from the Great Blizzard of 1888.

However, on occasion a nor’easter or another strong low-pressure system moving through the eastern United States may bring a bout of storminess. If enough cold remains in place throughout the event, heavy snow may fall. If accompanied by enough wind, blizzard conditions may prevail for several hours. Two memorable nor’easters, best known for severe coastal flooding, occurred in March 1962 and December 1992. A blizzard on January 7-8, 1996, brought over two feet of snow to portions of the state. The winter of 1960-61 had three storms with at least ten inches of snow over many areas of New Jersey. When the polar jet slips to our south, extremely cold arctic air may invade the region. When the arctic "door" remains open for several weeks, brutally cold months, such as February 1934, may result. Brief incursions, such as the bitter cold of January 19,1994, when temperatures in northwestern New Jersey were as low as -3O0F, may bring the state to a near standstill. But winters in New Jersey are not always harsh. Should the polar jet frequently remain to the north of the state, relatively mild conditions may prevail for weeks on end and snowfall will be meager. The winters of 1972-73,1997-98, and 2001-02 are examples, leaving people to wonder where winters of the past have gone. One often has to wait only a year, however, to see bitter winter weather return; and there is no evidence that winters are becoming less snowy in New Jersey.

 

Spring and fall are transition seasons. Winter-type weather may occur, yet summer heat and severe thunderstorms may also make an appearance. In spring, a heavy rainstorm, perhaps combined with a rapidly melting snowpack, can bring devastating floods, such as the Passaic Basin event in April 1984. Yet spring can have extended periods of dry weather. This may lead to wildfires, particularly in the Pine Barrens, such as the conflagrations in April 1963 and 1995.

A New Jersey summer without several weeks of heat and humidity is rare. When the heat is extreme or of long duration, a memorable summer may result. Such was the case in 1955, when both July and August were the warmest such months of the twentieth century. August 7, 1918, and July 9 and 10, 1936, are the hottest days on record, with temperatures above ioo°F at every weather station in New Jersey. July 15, 1995, saw temperatures over ioo°F at many stations with oppressive humidity levels, making this perhaps the most uncomfortable summer day of the past century. With the jet stream far north, the typical storms of winter are rare during the summer months. However, there often is enough cool air moving in from the north or enough heat and moisture present to trigger thunderstorms, the major source of summer precipitation. With these may come several inches of rain in an hour. When such an event persists for several hours, severe flash-flooding results. This was the case in a portion of Somerset County in August 1973, Atlantic County in August 1997, and Sussex and Morris counties in August 2000. When summer thunderstorms fail to materialize in earnest and early-season tropical activity is nil, severe drought conditions may occur during the growing season. Such was the case in i963 and i999.

June brings the start of the hurricane season to the Atlantic Basin. While most tropical storms and hurricanes do not affect New Jersey, an occasional storm passing over or near the state may bring torrential rains, damaging winds, and coastal flooding. The only major hurricane on record (winds greater than iio miles per hour) to make landfall in New Jersey was in September i82i. A hurricane that passed just off the Jersey Shore did considerable damage in September 1944. In August i955, the remnants of two hurricanes, Connie and Diane, crossed New Jersey and major river flooding occurred, especially on the Delaware. September i6, i999, saw the moisture from Hurricane Floyd collide with a stationary front (a zone separating warm and cool air exhibiting little or no movement) over central and northern New Jersey. The result was over ten inches of rain at stations in six counties and record flooding in the Raritan and several other smaller northeastern river basins.

The tropical season carries into the fall. In addition, an early-season nor’easter may bring copious rains and even some early snow. It is more common, however, for this transitional season to have extended periods of sunny and dry weather, as tropical influxes of moisture remain to the south and the polar jet stream with its attendant storminess has yet to shift south into the middle latitudes.

Some weather patterns may persist for a number of consecutive seasons. On occasion, a combination of reduced winter storminess, nonexistent tropical moisture, and meager thunderstorm rains may lead to a protracted dry spell or lengthier drought. This occurs once or twice each decade. The last two decades of the twentieth century saw approximately year-long precipitation deficits in 1980-81, 1984-85, 1994-95, and 1998-99. Shortly after the start of the twenty-first century, New Jersey experienced a lengthy drought, including a six-month interval (September 2001-February 2002) that was the driest such interval dating back to 1895.

Despite what appears to be frequent drought during recent decades, they were among the wettest of the century and included the wettest calendar year (1996: statewide average 59.98 inches, some 15.18 inches above the 1895-2000 average) on record. The most protracted and severe drought of the century (analyses of tree rings suggest perhaps for many centuries) occurred in the early and mid-1960s, and included the driest calendar year on record (1965: statewide 29.36 inches, 15.44 inches below the historic average).

Returning to spatial variations across New Jersey, one sees notable differences from the Highlands to the Shore, and the cities to the countryside. This applies to individual weather events and to the general climate of these areas. For instance, a summer night may not cool off nearly as much in an urban area as in the countryside, as the city buildings and asphalt retain the heat of the previous day far more effectively than trees and grass. Coastal communities may have their first freeze of the fall weeks later than valley locations in northern and central New Jersey or even in the nearby Pine Barrens, where the sandy soils quickly lose the daytime heat. Most notable in the winter is the boundary between rain and snow that often sets up across New Jersey, making for a forecasting nightmare. Along this winter battleground one often finds sleet and treacherous freezing rain.

The Northwestern region of New Jersey is the coldest, resulting in the shortest growing season (the interval from last spring freeze to first fall freeze) and the most snow (3050 inches per year on average, depending on elevation and latitude). The highest annual precipitation (rain and melted snow) in New Jersey falls in the higher elevations of this region (approximately 50 inches). The Central/Northeast region lies a bit farther south and closer to the moderating influence of the Atlantic; thus it is somewhat warmer and less snowy (25-30 inches) than the Northwest. Annual precipitation is 47.15 inches. Urban areas within this region and the Southwest zone have somewhat warmer daytime maximum temperatures and appreciably warmer nights than nearby suburban and rural areas. This is especially the case when skies are clear and the air is calm, helping to rid the nonurban areas of heat and keeping the city and rural air masses from mixing.

The Southwest region is the warmest in New Jersey, due to its low elevation, lower latitude, and distance from the Atlantic, although areas adjacent to Delaware Bay feel the moderating influence of these waters. Annual precipitation is 44.31 inches and snowfall averages 10-25 inches. The Pine Barrens region with its sandy soils experiences some of the largest day to night (diurnal) temperature fluctuations in New Jersey, with warm days and cool nights. Annual precipitation is 44.66 inches, and snowfall ranges from 25 inches in the northern part of the region to 10 inches in the south. The Coastal zone is often directly influenced by the nearby Atlantic, resulting in a moderation of both high temperatures in summer and low temperatures in winter. Overall, the region is milder than most portions of New Jersey, as in all seasons except spring and summer daily highs are among the warmest in the state, and nighttime lows tend to be warmer than elsewhere in all seasons. Precipitation averages 44.01 inches annually, not as much as northern portions of the state, due to the absence of elevated terrain (which helps to "squeeze" moisture from the clouds) and cooler air off the ocean (reducing the intensity of most summer thunderstorms). Snowfall is meager, ranging from 20 inches in the northern coastal zone to 10 inches in the south. In most winter storms with snow, a changeover to sleet or rain occurs at some point during the event.

In recent years, two questions have been posed frequently in New Jersey and elsewhere: "Is the weather changing?" and "What does the next century hold weather wise?" There are no easy answers to these questions; but one thing known for certain is that weather and climate changes of recent and future decades pale in comparison to the tropical warmth present when dinosaurs roamed 100 million years ago or when an ice sheet sat over the northern quarter of New Jersey 20,000 years ago.

The 1990s were the warmest decade of the twentieth century in New Jersey and globally. The statewide average temperature was 53.3°F, some 2.2°F warmer than the coolest decade of the century (1901-1910). Unfortunately, adequate temperature records have been available only since the late nineteenth century, making it unclear just how unusual the recent warmth might be. However, there is proxy evidence suggesting that recent temperatures might be as warm as any time in the past millennium. Whether this is the result of human-induced warming (the enhanced greenhouse effect), or is part of long-term natural variability caused by variations in solar or volcanic activity, remains uncertain. There is growing evidence that human activities are contributing to the recent warming.

Significant variations in precipitation have been observed over the past century. However, since the normal year-to-year and decade-to-decade variability of precipitation is greater than temperature, it is not possible to detect a long-term trend in this precious resource. Precipitation has been greater in recent decades, with the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s being the first, second, and fourth wettest decades of the twentieth century, respectively. Of greater interest is the possibility that lately precipitation is becoming more variable from year to year or even within years.

With development continuing in this densely populated state, local heat islands will likely spread and ultimately may influence statewide temperature trends. So, too, might development begin to affect regional precipitation, snowfall, and thunderstorm patterns. Even without further development, results from sophisticated numerical climate models indicate that as a result of human impacts on the global atmosphere, New Jersey’s climate will continue warming in the twenty-first century. Impacts on the state"s hydrological regime, including precipitation and drought, would likely accompany further warming.

Webbs Mill Bog. Webbs Mill Bog is an area of white cedar bogs in Lacey Township in central Ocean County, upstream of Lake Bam-ber. Webbs Mill Brook is a headwaters tributary to Cedar Creek, which flows into Barnegat Bay south of Toms River. This area is part of the 24,726-acre Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area that is managed by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Webbs Mill is a good example of a Pinelands bog, with typical wetlands vegetation such as sundew, St. John"s wort, cranberries, and orchids. Other plants and animals are found here in the highly acidic Pinelands that are not found elsewhere in the state.

Weehawken. 0.85-square-mile township in Hudson County, originally a part of Hoboken, incorporated in 1859. Weehawken’s name may be derived from an Algonquian Indian term for "land of maize.” It has been argued that Henry Hudson was the first white man to set foot in the township in 1609, when he anchored the Half Moon in what is now Weehawken Cove. The cove played an important role in the development of transportation in the region. The ferry from Weehawken to New York was one of the earliest to cross the Hudson. Although the exact date is unknown, it is certain that the ferry was operating before 1700. Weehawken won a place in American history on July 11,1804, when the duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, in which Hamilton was fatally wounded, took place on the township’s famous dueling grounds.

During the early part of the twentieth century, Weehawken was a major railroad center. Also distinctly related to the township is the Lincoln Tunnel, which in 1937 became a major vehicular artery that connects Weehawken to New York City. In recent years Weehawken has reestablished itself as home to a thriving New York City commuter ferry service, and is home to several new office developments that are attracting many New York City companies.

In 2000 the population of 13,501 was 73 percent white, 4 percent black, 5 percent Asian, and 41 percent of the total population was of Hispanic or Latino origin (Hispanics may be of any race). The median household income was $50,196.

Weintraub served as acting counsel to the governor and a member of the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor. In May 1956, Governor Meyner appointed him to the superior court and in November i956 to the supreme court. One year later, Weintraub was elevated to chief justice, a position he held until his retirement in i973.

During his distinguished judicial career he wrote many landmark decisions, including Robinson v. Cahill (1973), requiring the state to provide additional funding for poor urban school districts. He also issued opinions expanding product liability exposure and overturning the doctrine of governmental immunity. Although a champion of individual liberties, he strongly criticized the U.S. Supreme Court for decisions favoring criminals because they exacted too high a price "from innocent individuals who will be their next victims.”

Weir, Robert Walter (b. June 18,1803; d. May 1, 1889). Painter and teacher. Robert Weir was born in New York City, the son of Robert Walter Weir, a shipping merchant, and Mary Catherine Brinckley. He began a career in business, but soon left it to become an artist. He was largely self-taught, having had only a few lessons with the heraldic painter Robert Cooke. He studied in Italy from i824 to i827. Weir became a full academician at the National Academy of Design in i83i and taught there in the 1830s.

Weir married Louisa Ferguson in 1829 and had nine children. After her death in 1845,

Weequehela (b. c. 1675; d. June 30, 1727). Lenape leader. Weequehela (variously spelled) was an important sachem, or leader, of the Lenape/Delaware in central New Jersey during the early eighteenth century. His name translates into English as "one who is tired.” He first appears as a minor signatory of land deeds in 1696. Weequehela’s mark was the roman letter W. Contemporary sources called him an Indian king, and indicate that he lived an acculturated lifestyle. He owned a house, livestock, and two sawmills. In 1727, he shot and killed his neighbor John Leonard. It is not clear if the killing was accidental or the result of a confrontation with Leonard regarding land dealings. Weequehela was tried in Perth Amboy for the killing, found guilty, and hanged. His death became a sore point between the colonists and the Delaware that persisted for decades.