Gov. Kathy Hochul urges New Yorkers to be prepared for dangerous heat conditions expected to last through Thursday, as a combination of hot temperatures and moderate-to-high humidity levels cause heat index values in the 90s and potentially the low 100s in certain areas.
On Wednesday, most of the state will be blanketed with high heat and humidity with temperatures hovering around 95 degrees. On Thursday, downstate regions will likely experience the most dangerous heat conditions, with heat index values currently expected to break the 100-degree mark.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) defines a heat wave as “a period of unusually hot weather that typically lasts two or more days” and also notes that, in order to qualify as a heat wave, “temperatures have to be outside the historical averages for a given area.”
In the Northeast, meteorologists typically define a heat wave as at least three consecutive days on which high temperatures reach 90 F or higher.
- Hot, dry, red skin
- A rapid pulse
- Rapid and shallow breathing
- A body temperature higher than 105°
- Loss of alertness, confusion, and/or loss of consciousness.
