Summer did not waste any time getting started.
Temperatures are forecasted to approach 100 degrees, and feel even hotter, on the first day of summer.
It has been 80 years since New York City approached these temperatures on June 20.
Because of the combination of the heat and humidity, the National Weather Service has issued a excessive heat warning for Queens. Temperatures, which are predicted to hit 98, will feel like 108.
Those who will be outdoors should take extra precautions. Wear light, loose fitting clothing, sunblock and drink plenty of water.
The city has also opened up hundreds of cooling centers in the five boroughs.
Cooling centers are air conditioned places, such as Department for the Aging senior centers, Salvation Army community centers, and public libraries that are open to the public during heat emergencies.
Click here to find the cooling center nearest to you
The city’s Office of Emergency Management has offered some tips to staying cool:
New Yorkers should heed the following tips to stay cool during this week’s extreme heat:
- Use an air conditioner if you have one.
- If you do not have an air conditioner, go to a cooler place such as a store, mall, museum, movie theater, or friend/family member’s air-conditioned home, or visit a cooling center.
- Check on your at-risk family, friends and neighbors often and help them get to a cool place.
- Use a fan only when the air conditioner is on or the windows are open. Fans alone will not keep you cool when it is really hot outside. Fans work best at night to bring in cooler air from outside.
- Drink plenty of water or other fluids, even if you don’t feel thirsty. Avoid beverages containing alcohol, caffeine or high amounts of sugar.
- Never leave children, pets or those who require special care in a parked car.
- Avoid strenuous activity, or plan it for the coolest part of the day, usually in the morning between 4 AM and 7 AM or in the evening. If you exercise, drink two to four glasses of cool, nonalcoholic fluids each hour. A sports beverage can replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat. If you are used to regular exercise, just keep in mind the symptoms of heat illness when exercising and stop or rest if any occur.
- Be careful if you take a cold shower to stay cool – sudden temperature changes can make you feel dizzy or sick.
