Intense heat like we saw last summer might not be in the cards this summer, according to AccuWeather forecasters.
Don't toss away your sunblock and seasonal beach badges.
But it could be a disappointing summer for New Jerseyans who love hot, steamy beach weather.
Long-range forecasters from AccuWeather are predicting a fairly wet summer in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, and they believe the stormy weather pattern will keep a lid on extreme heat.
"I think we'll have some hot weather, but it won't be as prolonged as we saw last year a couple of times," Paul Pastelok, AccuWeather's lead long-range forecaster, said in the company's summer outlook issued this week.
While some urban centers like New York City and Boston might get hit with "slightly more 90-degree days than normal -- although still fewer than last year," AccuWeather says areas further south, like New Jersey, might have fewer days of intense heat because of increased moisture expected during the summer of 2017.
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As for other parts of the nation, AccuWeather believes the Southeast will continue to be plagued by wildfires this summer, the northern and southern Plains will be gripped by hot, dry weather, the Northwest will face a lot of severe weather, and California will be hit with intense heat in the late summer, boosting the threat of wildfires.
Last summer, New Jersey was plagued by oppressive heat in July and August, which helped turn the summer of 2016 into one of the state's hottest summers on record, according to temperature data compiled by New Jersey State Climatologist David Robinson at Rutgers University.
August 2016 was New Jersey's second hottest August on record, and the meteorological summer -- which runs from June 1 through Aug. 31 -- was the fourth hottest since records started being kept in 1895.
July 2016 was New Jersey's ninth hottest July, and June 2016, which got off to a cool start but finished hotter, was the state's 30th warmest June on record.
Heavy rain on the way
New Jersey is currently stuck in a stubborn weather pattern that has been bringing a lot of rain and cooler-than-normal temperatures. Forecasters are keeping an eye on a storm system that will be moving toward the Garden State and redeveloping into a strong coastal storm this weekend.
Many parts of the state are forecast to get drenched with 2 to 3 inches of rain from late Friday night through early Sunday morning. The storm is also expected to bring gusty winds, street flooding and the threat of coastal flooding.
Here's how much rain the National Weather Service is projecting for New Jersey and other parts of the mid-Atlantic region from a coastal storm that's expected to hit the area this weekend. (National Weather Service) Here's how much rain the National Weather Service is projecting for New York City, Long Island and other parts of the Northeast from a coastal storm that's expected to hit the region this weekend. (National Weather Service) Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality or like him on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.