New Yorkers Feeling The Heat, And It's Going To Stick Around For A While
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The Tri-State may be in for one of the hottest weeks of the summer.
Since the mercury has topped 90 degrees for three straight days, the area is officially in its first heat wave of the season -- and it won't be cooling off any time soon, reports CBS 2 chief meteorologist Lonnie Quinn
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Many residents hit the streets Monday in tank tops, short sleeves and dresses to keep cool. The punishing humidity is expected to smother the city for the next seven days.
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"Today's heat and humidity is prompting some strong storms throughout the area," Quinn said. "Ironically, much of the instability is due to a passing cold front. By tomorrow morning the front will be off our shores, but don't expect cold air to fill in behind it.
"Tuesday's and Wednesday's high temperatures will definitely be cooler but still right around 90 degrees."
Quinn said temperatures later in the week will feel like the triple digits, due to the humidity returning.
"It's very possible Thursday's feels-like temperature will be 105 degrees, while it will feel closer to 110 on Friday," Quinn said
To some people, Monday was just another beautiful summer day.
"My favorite part is getting a tan and enjoying the breeze and the sun," said 10-year-old Audrey Fitzgerald.
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For others, it was business as usual.
"If I don't work, no I don't get paid," said pedicab operator Anton Belolugov. "If you can bear this heat you can make money."
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Some New Yorkers opted to be outside, sunbathing, playing and exercising beneath the sweltering sun.
"Even if it's really hot, 100 degrees, I'll still be out here," said Greg Krantz. "It's better than being in the gym all day."
"You just have to stay hydrated but on a day like today, you should be outside. It's good for your endorphins," said Anna Moreno.
But it's not good for your lungs. When you combine sunshine, heat and automobile exhaust, you get ground level ozone and today, there was lots of it.
Officials issued air quality advisories for most of the area. Pulmonologist Edward Eden said days like this are particularly dangerous for children, the elderly and people with illnesses like COPD and asthma.
"Ozone particularly sensitizes the airways to constriction," said Eden. "If you inhale enough of it, the airways will constrict and become imflamed and you'll develop an asthma attack, particularly during exercise."
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Thunderstorms could spring up after a wave of low pressure moves across the area late Monday afternoon and into the overnight hours.
The rainfall will be necessary, meteorologists said, since they don't expect anymore storms until Friday.
What are you doing to beat the heat? Let us know in our comments section...
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