Thunderstorms move through LI but no relief from high heat till Friday night storms
Mom Griselda Benitez of Valley Stream has her hands full with daughters Giselle, 5, left, and Keila, 3, while on the playground on a sweltering day at North Woodmere Park in Valley Stream, Thursday. Credit: Danielle Silverman
Thunderstorms were moving through Long Island Thursday night after a second sweltering day of heat and humidity, the National Weather Service said.
Some had wind gusts of up to 50 mph as they went through Nassau and Western Suffolk, the weather service said.
The Thursday evening storms won't bring significant relief from the heat that has held Long island in its grip in recent days. That won't come till Friday night, when other storms will usher in a cold front.
In its Thursday evening briefing, the weather service said Nassau and northwest Suffolk will be under a heat advisory Friday until 8 p.m. with temperatures in low 90s and a real-feel heat index of between 94 and 108 degrees.
On Thursday, there was an excessive heat warning, a step up from an advisory, and the real-feel heat index went up to 110 degrees.
Long Island tied a 2016 record high on Thursday as temperatures hit 90 in Islip, said James Tomasini, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
Temperatures at LaGuardia Airport tied a record Thursday at 98 degrees, and on Friday, New York City should once again get the worst of the heat.
Friday's record high in 2016 for Islip was 93 degrees, so "it’s definitely possible that we can get near or tie record highs tomorrow," Tomasini said.
More potentially severe thunderstorms with damaging winds will move in Friday night and into Saturday as the cold front arrives. But even with rainy conditions Saturday, temperatures will be in the high 80s.
The weather service warned residents that the combination of heat, humidity and pollution both Thursday and Friday has made it downright dangerous to be outside for very long.
Anytime the heat index gets above 103 degrees, the weather service says, prolonged exposure is dangerous and could likely result in heat stroke or heat exhaustion.
Sarra Sounds Off Ep. 35: EI baseball, girls lacrosse and plays of the week On the latest episode of "Sarra Sounds Off," we look at East Islip baseball's inspirational comeback story, Jared Valluzzi has the plays of the week and Tess Ferguson breaks down the top defensive players in girls lacrosse.
Sarra Sounds Off Ep. 35: EI baseball, girls lacrosse and plays of the week On the latest episode of "Sarra Sounds Off," we look at East Islip baseball's inspirational comeback story, Jared Valluzzi has the plays of the week and Tess Ferguson breaks down the top defensive players in girls lacrosse.
