Heat Wave Could Get Worse Before It Gets Better
The heat wave continued across the Tri-State Area on Wednesday and forecasters said it will continue for at least the rest of the work week.
In fact, the sweltering conditions will get worse before they get better, CBS 2′s Lonnie Quinn reported. The high temperature in Manhattan on Tuesday peaked at 94 degrees.
Quinn forecast a high temperature of 96 in Manhattan for Thursday, and warned the 90-plus degree temperatures could continue into Saturday.
A heat advisory is in effect until 8 p.m. Wednesday for New York City. An excessive heat warning is in effect for parts of New Jersey.
Forecasters say high temperatures in the mid to upper 90s will combine with the humidity to make it feel like 105 degrees. The hottest part of the day will occur between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. through Friday.
“The persistence of this heat wave is the most impressive thing about it,” said AccuWeather meteorologist Carl Babinski. “You need three consecutive days of 90 or greater to get a heat wave and in Central Park, that started officially Sunday when we hit 90.”
This is the second stifling heat wave of the summer that has settled over the Tri-State Area.
“By the time I get to work, I’m exhausted from the commute. When I get home, same thing. The heat is just brutal,” said Upper West Side resident Marc Muschel.
Officials said biking, running or even walking in this weather can lead to heat exhaustion.
“It’s going to be very hot and humid this week. The weather can be dangerous, especially for those without air conditioning, the elderly and those with chronic health conditions,” Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.
“I’m 79 and my goodness, I never remember it being this hot,” Harlem resident Thomas Wade told CBS 2′s Janelle Burrell.
Wade said he had a near fainting spell during last month’s heat, so he’s being extra cautious in the middle of the current heat wave.
“Paramedics told me to keep drinking water. I wasn’t drinking enough water,” Wade told Burrell.
At St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx, hospital staff said there has been an increase in patients coming to the emergency room in recent days.
“We worry about two populations, the very old and the very young,” Dr. Ernest Patti told Burrell.
He said those two vulnerable groups are more easily overcome by the heat than healthy adults.
“They’ll be weak. They’ll feel very tired. They’ll be dehydrated. They’ll complain of headache, nausea, some of them will be vomiting,” Dr. Patti said.
The first method doctors use to treat patients with heat-related illness is to remove their clothing and spray them with water in front of a fan.
“The evaporation, what that does is helps cool the body most effectively,” Dr. Patti said.
But extreme heat can be dangerous for just about anyone.
At an event Tuesday in Brooklyn, an 18-year-old City Council intern collapsed, apparently due to the heat, 1010 WINS reported. City Council Speaker Christine Quinn stayed with the intern until an ambulance arrived.
The American Red Cross has urged all residents to take the heat wave seriously and has reminded everyone to drink plenty of water.
“Surprisingly, approximately 400 Americans die each summer due to the heat,” Sam Kille with the New York City Area Red Cross told WCBS 880′s Ginny Kosola.
Kille said the excessive heat is also dangerous for healthy, young people who are outside for extended periods.
“Make sure that you take a lot of breaks so that you don’t succumb to the heat,” Kille added.
He added that sodas can be dehydrating and warned that if someone is red and not sweating, that’s likely heat stroke.
Symptoms of heat exhaustion include:
Heavy sweating
Extreme weakness or fatigue
Dizziness or confusion
Nausea
Clammy, moist skin
Pale or flushed complexion
Muscle cramps
Slightly elevated body temperature
Fast and shallow breathing
“So the message is in these high-heat times, decrease your physical activity, cool yourself off, keep up with the fluids and take at least two hours of an air-conditioned break,” said Dr. Kevin Baumlin of Mount Sinai.
