well we're finally getting a much needed break from the record-breaking temperatures and humidity this summer and while we collectively catch our breath the Department of Environmental Protection today hosted a panel of climatologists and meteorologists to answer the question has it always been this hot in New Jersey and what is the state doing to respond senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan takes a look New Jersey sizzled this past July a brutal weather down that tortured workers Outdoors torched NJ Transit train trips and made miserable sleepers toss and turn as temp stayed above 70° even at night and climate scientists today warned it's trending even hotter eight of the 10 warmest July going back 130 years have all been since 2010 so are we acclimating to hot summers I don't exactly think so State climatologist Dave Robinson joined a panel discussion to discuss Jersey's changing climate in a warming world this map pinpoints where concrete Urban hotpots absorb and radiate summer heat another Factor Jersey shares its long Shoreline with a warming Atlantic it's helped push average annual temperatures here Up 3 and A2 degrees between 1970 in last year putting Jersey among the nation's fastest warming States the fact is we've had far more than our share from the past of warm Summers warm July whatever you might warm years for that matter our oceans are warming uh they produce and there's more moisture in the atmosphere and with more moisture in the atmosphere you're seeing your nighttime low temperatures rise at a more rapid rate the high humidity and relentlessly hot nights create health hazards humans cool off by sweating but sweat can't evaporate when the air is soggy with moisture says the National Weather Services Sarah Johnson our main way to stay cool our body's main way to stay cool is far less efficient when it's very humid outside which is unfortunately something we have seen uh multiple times this summer and these summer heat waves intensify the chance for heat stroke and other problems said Advocates at this meeting of New Jersey's intra agency Council on climate resilience the minimum temperatures over right we're only going to be in the 70s and that leads to a compounding effect that our bodies don't have chance to recover if it doesn't get cool at night especially for people that live in areas where they don't have air conditioning during a heat wave when it's just day after day of heat you know especially those Urban and coastal areas sometimes they don't get below 80 degrees that's disgusting and everything needs that reset point you know not only humans but infrastructure we need to give the air conditioner and the electricity grid a break this excessive heat is also allowing the air to hold more water and the warm temperatures are also contributing to some of these heavy rainfalls as well New Jersey seen tropical downpours remember Ida which killed 30 people here but again it's the warming ocean that worries climatologists they cited a study of superstorm Sandy which gathered enormous strength from above average water temperatures the storm would have taken the same odd path but it would have been a weaker storm if sea surface temperatures had been close to normal so that was what worries me about the future with tropical storms in New Jersey the group says New Jersey must make the state more resilient to floods and focus on keeping folks cooler where they live and work I'm Brenda Flanagan NJ Spotlight News [Music]