Temps near 90 tomorrow on Long Island, with heat indexes forecast over 100 Friday, Saturday
Beachgoers at Jones Beach during a heat wave last July. The heat index later this week could make it feel well over 100 degrees, according to the forecast. Credit: Brittainy Newman
Temperatures are expected to soar close to 90 in parts of Long Island Wednesday, and an excessive heat warning could be in place later this week as it may feel as hot as 112 degrees on Friday and Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
Meteorologists said the "oppressive heat and humidity" will build in from the central and southern United States from Thursday through Saturday. High temperatures are forecast to eclipse 90 in parts of Long Island on all three of those days, with a heat advisory in effect for much of the region on Thursday.
The heat index is forecast to climb even higher.
That index, which is what the temperature feels like when it is mixed with humidity, will be in the upper 90s to 104 on Thursday, 100 to 112 likely on Friday, and 100 to 112 possible on Saturday, the forecast said. The hottest time of the day will be between noon and 8 p.m.
TIPS ON STAYING COOL
- Stay hydrated with water and stay away from sugary drinks.
- Limit outdoor activity. If you don't have air conditioning, go to a cooling center or an indoor public place such as a shopping mall or library.
- Keep pets out of the hot sun and provide unlimited fresh water.
- Dial 911 immediately if someone is not sweating, their mental status is altered, and their skin is red, hot and dry. They could be experiencing heatstroke.
- Check on elderly neighbors, who are vulnerable to extreme heat.
Cooling centers are being opened throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties, while hours at some municipal pools are being extended as officials urged Long Islanders to take precautions with the extreme weather.
For example, the Town of Hempstead is extending beach hours to 7 p.m. and pool hours to 8 p.m. starting Wednesday. Town of Huntington beaches will be open until 8 p.m. from Thursday through Saturday with lifeguards on duty.
Children, the elderly and people who work outdoors are most vulnerable to heat exhaustion and heat stroke, said Dr. Lara Reda, vice chair, emergency medicine at North Shore University Hospital.
“The most important thing is to be in contact with your friends, family and neighbors,” Reda said. “Elderly people often live home alone and don't have people checking on them. If they live in an apartment that doesn't have a functioning air conditioner, that would be a person that's at extreme risk.”
Children and pets should never be left unattended in a car, because the temperature inside can rise quickly to a life-threatening level, she said.
The signs of heat exhaustion include headache, dizziness, confusion and loss of appetite, Reda said.
“They will be sweating, breathing quickly and having a rapid pulse,” she said.
If someone is not sweating, they seem confused or their mental status is altered, and their skin is red, hot and dry, they could be experiencing heat stroke and 911 should be called right away, she said.
"Sip nonsugary drinks, spray your skin with water and use a fan," Reda suggested. In addition, people can place ice packs in the groin area, armpits and back of the neck to cool down.
Once the temperature hits the high 90s, electric fans cannot prevent heat-related illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which recommends taking a cool shower or bath. If you don't have air conditioning, go to a place that does, such as a library, indoor shopping mall or designated cooling center.
Pet owners should keep their four-legged friends off hot asphalt surfaces and out of the heat with an unlimited supply of fresh water, experts said.
"Extreme heat is posing a significant health risk for New Yorkers," Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement. "I have directed state agencies to take all necessary precautions to keep New Yorkers safe during this weather event, and will be deploying personnel as necessary."
Residents should check their town websites and town halls to find locations and operating hours for cooling centers.
Cooling center locations
The Town of Oyster Bay
Cooling centers will be open Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. at the Town of Oyster Bay Ice Skating Center, 1001 Stewart Ave., Bethpage, and the Town of Oyster Bay Hicksville Athletic Center, 167 South Broadway, Hicksville.
Community pools will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday at Marjorie Post Community Park, 451 Unqua Rd., Massapequa; Syosset-Woodbury Community Park, 7800 Jericho Tpke., Woodbury; Bethpage Community Park, 1001 Stewart Ave., Bethpage; Plainview-Old Bethpage Community Park, 175 Washington Ave., Plainview; and at Tappen Beach, Shore Road, Glenwood Landing.
Swimming at town beaches, including Tobay Beach and Spray Park, will remain open until 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday.
Town of Hempstead
Beach hours will be extended to 7 p.m. and all town pool hours until 8 p.m., beginning Wednesday and running through Saturday. Cooling centers will operate out of town senior centers from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on the following schedule:
Wednesday: Baldwin Senior Center at 1810 North Grand Ave., Baldwin; Franklin Square Senior Center, 1182 Martha Plaza, Franklin Square; Green Acres Senior Center, 400 Flower Rd., Valley Stream; Salisbury-East Meadow Senior Center, 460 Salisbury Park Dr., Westbury; and, Uniondale-Merrick Senior Center, 750 Jerusalem Ave., Uniondale.
Thursday: the Salisbury-East Meadow and Uniondale-Merrick centers will be open, along with the Elmont Senior Center, 138 Elmont Rd., Elmont; Oceanside Senior Center, 2900 Rockaway Ave., Oceanside; and, Wantagh Senior Center, 1150 Seamans Neck Rd., Wantagh.
Friday: Baldwin, Green Acres, and Wantagh, as well as the Bellmore Senior Center, 2000 Bellmore Ave., Bellmore. and the Levittown Senior Center, 555 N. Newbridge Rd., Levittown.
On Saturday, Baldwin and Uniondale-Merrick will be open.
Town of Huntington
Cooling centers will operate at the Dix Hills Ice Rink, 575 Vanderbilt Pkwy., Dix Hills, from noon to 8 p.m. and the Town of Huntington Senior Center (Flanagan Center) 423 Park Ave, Huntington, until 4 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Crab Meadow, West Neck, Hobart and Centerport Beaches will be open with stationed lifeguards until 8 p.m.
The Dix Hills Pool will be open to Huntington Town residents from 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday and from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday
Sgt. Paul Tuozzolo Memorial Spray Park, located on Cuba Hill Road in Elwood, and the Manor Field Spray Park on East Fifth Street, Huntington Station. Both are open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The spray parks open at 10 a.m. for children with special needs.
The Elwood and Manor Field Spray Parks will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
CLARIFICATION: The Dix Hills Pool will be open to Huntington Town residents during the hours listed above. An earlier version of this listing indicated it would be open to the general public.
'His sacrifice made a difference': Gold Star mother honors son's memory Army Pfc. Raheen Tyson Heighter, 22, of Bay Shore, was the first serviceman from Long Island killed in the Iraq War.
'His sacrifice made a difference': Gold Star mother honors son's memory Army Pfc. Raheen Tyson Heighter, 22, of Bay Shore, was the first serviceman from Long Island killed in the Iraq War.
