Water restrictions implemented in Sayreville, New Jersey as heat wave, drought continue

SAYREVILLE, New Jersey (WABC) -- Water restrictions are being implemented in the borough of Sayreville, New Jersey as the summer's heat wave and drought continue.

Local officials say watering of lawns will only be allowed Monday to Thursday, with house numbers ending with an odd number on Monday and Wednesday and even numbered houses on Tuesday and Thursday for a daily maximum of three hours per day.

Washing of cars, boats, driveways and walkways will not be permitted until the restrictions are lifted.

Violators will be subject to penalties and/or fines.

Excessive heat warnings will continue Monday due to a dome of high pressure, meteorologists say, that's affecting most of the United States and contributing to drought conditions in the Northeast.

"It's fair to say that the vast majority of the nation has been experiencing above normal temperatures for the past week," said David Robinson, New Jersey state climatologist at Rutgers University.

The dome of high pressure traps hot air and is the basis for the "critical high temperatures" the country has been experiencing the past week, Robinson said, even for being the warmest time of the year.

Thunderstorms are common, as they were in parts of New England over the weekend, but don't help much with drought conditions in the Northeast and out west. Particularly dry weather in areas like Massachusetts and New York have forced farmers to choose which crops they will water and which will just not survive the season.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)