Heat wave, heat dome, heat island you'll hear a lot of ways to describe it but the fact is this weekend is gonna be hot we're in the middle of a heat event that could reach temperatures of 130 degrees in the hottest parts of the country and could break heat records throughout the U.S here in New Jersey excessive heat warnings and watches are in place and as Ted Goldberg explains those blazing temps could climb up to 105 degrees the last couple of days have been hot stifling disgusting call it what you want New Jersey weather experts will wait one more day before calling it a heat wave technically we need three straight days in the 90s today is going to be number two for most of New Jersey I think it's number three in the far Northeast temperatures across New Jersey are up in the 90s and North Jersey cities are going through an air quality action day meaning the smog makes the air unhealthy for sensitive groups overall this summer has not been that hot temperatures average up to this point have been below normal we've had a really cool June and that's probably part of the reason why people are really feeling it this week technically climatologically the last week in July is the warmest week of the summer that's cold comfort for anyone caught outside today climatologists like Dave Robinson say you can blame the miserable conditions on heat drifting up from the southwest stubborn humidity and climate change we've had so much rainfall so much humidity and that prevents the daytime heat from escaping readily into space at night the air is warmer the ocean temperatures are warmer as a result of that they put more moisture into the atmosphere or the atmosphere can potentially retain more moisture it is just the beginning the Eda of global warming has ended the idiot the era of global boiling has arrived Global boiling sounds scary but this July was the hottest July on record for the world and the 10th hottest in New Jersey this is a harbinger of what the future is going to look like and the question is is the future here we are about to have our hottest month on record for the world so that is unique but unfortunately it's probably not the last time we're going to see it in our lifetime Jen Brady is a senior data analyst for the non-profit climate Central she says these effects hit harder in cities like Newark because of the urban heat island effect the heat that is increased because of the buildings the pavement the population density so things like I'm looking at a bus over here if you've ever been behind a bus in the city you know how much heat that bus goes off in Essex County leaders have opened up cooling centers like the ice rink at Cody Arena staying cool is also an issue for Advocates who work with people experiencing homelessness dehydration comes with it so we try to keep them cool and hydrated it's really important for the clients we try to give them like some type of umbrellas or some hats or Shades that they can you know maintain from out of the Sun and not have that direct heat hitting their body President Joe Biden has also gotten involved he says the Department of Labor will increase inspections at farms and construction sites I've asked acting labor secretary Julie Sue to issue a heat Hazard alert it clarifies that workers have a federal heat related Federal heat related protections we should be protecting workers from hazardous conditions the good news this gross weather could be short-lived we have a strong cold front which is going to move through Saturday night tomorrow night and that will bring with it most likely some strong showers and thunderstorms maybe some heavy rain and damaging winds but behind that we are going to get several days of a really nice air mass low humidity sounds like a relief after a few brutally hot days in New Jersey in Newark I'm Ted Goldberg, NJ Spotlight news