Heat Wave Brings Record High Temperatures To NYC
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- As the mercury rose Thursday, temperatures continued their relentless march upward. Some records were broken across the sweltering, baking Tri-State Area as the heat wave continued for a second straight day.
In Newark, temperatures reached a record-high 102 degrees. Central Park hit 95 earlier in the day. Newark Liberty airport also hit 100 degrees around 2 p.m.
An air quality alert is in effect through 11 p.m. due to ground level ozone. Limit strenuous activity. For more information about the air quality, call 1-800-535-1345.
Click here to check current conditions
Officials urged New Yorkers to restrict strenuous activities. Of course, proper hydration is also urgent, so drink plenty of water.
Con Ed was working to keep the power flowing as area residents crank up their air conditioners. To help prevent a power outage, they're asking customers to set their air conditioners to 78 degrees, which they say is the right balance between comfort and overtaxing the grid.
"We have all our crews ready and waiting for a response to anything that comes our way," John Miksad, a senior vice president with Con Ed, told CBS 2's Kathryn Brown. "If there is some failure, we'll be there, we'll find it and restore as quickly as possible."
WCBS 880's Rich Lamb reports: Cooling Centers Open Around The City
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To find a cooling station near you, click here or call 311. Cooling centers on Long Island are open as well in Rockville Centre, Oyster Bay and North Hempstead.
The elderly are particularly vulnerable to excessive heat. Health officials are asking area residents to check in on them. At least one elderly New Jersey man is in critical condition with heat stroke. The 93-year-old was admitted to St. Joseph's Hospital in Paterson on Wednesday.
The heat wave can bring with it unexpected dangers as well. Benches and other surfaces exposed to the sun for long hours can get alarmingly hot, so children playing at playgrounds may have to be cautious about some of the surfaces they play on.
And don't forget about your pets. Excessive heat can also be dangerous for our four-legged friends, but there are things you can do to help keep your pets cool.
Ray Gross, chief of the Suffolk County SPCA, said to never leave your pet unattended in a parked car for any period of time, even with the windows open.
WCBS 880's Paul Murnane In The Heat In Norwalk
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In New Jersey, dozens of schools closed early due to a lack of air conditioning. Click here for a complete list of school closings. In Connecticut, schools in Danbury and Norwalk were among those districts that closed early.
"We have several schools without air conditioning and yesterday they were in the high 80s," said parent Julie Dezon at Marvin Elementary School in Norwalk.
She said this school has that most welcome feature of air conditioning.
Many schools get by with fans and the hope of a breeze.
Fresh from a four-mile run with co-workers Diana, a teacher, said it's hard to keep focused.
"It gets quite hot just with all the children. You know, movement and breathing and they're hot and they're unproductive in the afternoon when they're so hot," she said.
Dozens of New Jersey districts also closed early.
WCBS 880's Paul Murnane In Stamford
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While New York City has cooling centers, so does Nassau County.
WCBS 880's Sophia Hall In New Hyde Park
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It was so hot and humid Thursday, it was hard to breathe outside.
But once you get inside one of the cooling centers, such as the one WCBS 880 reporter Sophia Hall visited in New Hyde Park, you just pause for a moment and take in the air conditioning.
By around noon, 60 people were taking advantage of this cooling center.
"I even have a jacket. It's plenty cool," one woman said.
"How nice is it to having cooling centers throughout Nassau County?" asked Hall.
"Oh, I think that's wonderful. Even though I don't like air conditioning too much... I appreciate it," she answered.
LINK: Details On Nassau County Cooling Centers
Many of the people were chatting, playing cards, or eating snacks.
Marta, who took a senior bus there, said, "Everybody is enjoying the comfort to be cool."
Connecticut Light & Power is making a town-wide appeal to all of its customers in Greenwich asking them to conserve power both at home and at work.
WCBS 880 Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau On The Story
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Spokesman Mitch Gross said at least 2,300 customers have lost power in town due to a delicate circuit problem.
"There is stress on the circuits. To reduce the possibility of additional stress we're asking for the voluntary conservation. It helps relieve the stress on the circuits, helps relieve the demand on the system," Gross said.
Gross said those 2,300 customers represent about 8 percent of CL&P's 28,000 customers town-wide.
How do you plan to beat the heat? Sound off in our comments section.
