Heat wave continues into the weekend; health advisories issued

An oppressive combination of extreme heat, insufferable humidity and poor air quality had Long Islanders seeking relief wherever possible Thursday — at pools, beaches, water parks and cooling centers — with more of the same in Friday's forecast.

Temperatures in Islip hit 86 degrees Thursday but the heat index, which factors in relative humidity, made it feel closer to 97 degrees, said Dominic Ramunni, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Upton.

And while those numbers were slightly less than what was originally projected, making venturing outdoors somewhat bearable, Long Islanders may not be so lucky Friday. Temperatures are expected to rise into the lower 90s with the heat index topping out in the triple digits. Long Islanders are also urged to limit strenuous outdoor activities Friday because of the heat and another day of predicted bad air quality.

In response to the heat, PSEG Long Island announced it was activating a voluntary program Friday aimed at giving customers a financial break if they use less power, an effort to reduce overloading its system.

"It's going to be the hottest day of the year tomorrow," Ramunni said, noting that Saturday's forecast calls for more heat and humidity.

On Thursday, residents looked to cool off in the water or in the comfort of air conditioning indoors.

At Kennedy Park Pool in the Village of Hempstead, there was no complaints about the heat from the swimmers, said lifeguard Karima Tonge.

"It’s nice that our community has an outlet for our young people [and] our adults to come in and cool off during this heat wave” Tonge said.

While Long Islanders flocked en masse to area beaches, splash pads or water parks for relief from the heat, Yilmaz Keles, a gas station attendant at the BP station in East Meadow, was taking the forecast in stride.

"The heat?" asked Keles, who is originally from Turkey, with a chuckle. "What heat?" The high next week could hit 98 degrees in Turkey's capital city, Ankara, according to various weather forecasts.

Meanwhile, an air quality alert, which was in effect Wednesday and Thursday for Long Island, New York City, Westchester and Rockland counties, was extended through Friday because of ozone pollution concerns related to the heat, state officials said.

In a Thursday evening advisory, the National Weather Service warned Long Islanders, especially young children, seniors and those with preexisting respiratory or heart problems, to limit strenuous outdoor activity Friday.

Heat-related illnesses — heat stroke, heat cramps, heat exhaustion — are all possible with prolonged exposure and outdoor activities, or even “likely” if the index moves above 103, according to the weather service.

"Extreme heat and humidity will significantly increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities," the advisory stated.

For PSEG Long Island customers, the heat wave could lead to lower bills. The utility activated the voluntary Smart Savers Thermostat program for Friday to reduce system overload.

The homes of the nearly 35,000 enrolled customers with smart thermostats will be precooled at 3:30 p.m. Friday by 3 degrees for 30 minutes, utility officials said. The customer's thermostats will then be raised by four degrees from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. In exchange, these customers receive financial incentives for their participation.

"Customers enrolled in this program save money, and are also helping everyone in the service area by allowing us to reduce the overall peak demand on some of the hottest days," said Michael Voltz, director of energy efficiency and renewable energy for PSEG Long Island.

The utility said it has no capacity concerns and expects to have the power required to meet customer demand.