New York City’s first big heat wave of the year is expected to arrive next week — the start of what climate experts believe will be a historically hot summer.
National Weather Service meteorologist Dave Radell predicted a “heat dome” — or high pressure that traps hot air over an area — will push temperatures into the 90s from Tuesday through Thursday. He said humidity will make it feel as hot as 100 degrees outside.
Last year was the hottest on record in New York City — and meteorologists believe this summer could also see all-time highs, raising concerns about the effects of climate change.
City officials are encouraging New Yorkers to stay cool next week by sheltering in air conditioned spaces. If someone doesn’t have an air conditioner at home, officials said they could cool off at a friend’s place or a public library during the hottest hours of the day. The city also publishes an online map of public spaces with air conditioning.
Most heat related deaths in New York City occur in homes that lack air conditioning, which mostly affect Black New Yorkers, according to Aries Dela Cruz, a spokesperson for the city Emergency Management Department. City data shows 350 New Yorkers died prematurely last year from a preventable heat illness.
“One thing in the past that we found was that a lot of people didn’t treat heat like a life threatening emergency, which they should, particularly when it occurs over multiple days.” Dela Cruz said. “People’s homes actually get hotter over multiple days, and they may not realize it, especially if you’re in that home and the temperature is just slowly rising.”
Before the heat wave hits, the city is bracing for rough weather. The National Weather Service issued an air quality alert and warned of thunderstorms for Friday.
Raddell said the skies would clear up by the time the temperatures climb on Tuesday, making it an ideal time to go to the beach.