The first heatwave of 2016 in NYC is expected to bring sweltering temperatures this week. The National Weather Service warns of hazardous weather conditions.
...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM EDT THURSDAY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A HEAT ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM EDT THURSDAY. HEAT INDEX VALUES...IN THE MID 90S DUE TO TEMPERATURES IN THE LOWER TO MID 90S ...AND DEWPOINTS IN THE MID TO THE UPPER 60S.
* TIMING...HEAT INDICES FROM 95 TO 99 ARE FORECAST BETWEEN 1PM AND
8PM TODAY AND THURSDAY.
* IMPACTS...HOT AND HUMID CONDITIONS WILL INCREASE THE RISK FOR
HEAT RELATED HEALTH ISSUES. THIS IS ESPECIALLY SO FOR THE
ELDERLY AND IN THOSE WORKING OUTDOORS...WHO ARE NOT YET USED TO
HIGH HEAT AND HUMIDITY.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A HEAT ADVISORY IS ISSUED FOR NEW YORK CITY WHEN THE COMBINATION
OF HEAT AND HUMIDITY IS EXPECTED TO MAKE IT FEEL LIKE IT IS AT
LEAST 95 DEGREES FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE DAYS...OR 100 DEGREES FOR ANY
LENGTH OF TIME.
SENIORS AND THOSE WITH CHRONIC HEALTH PROBLEMS OR MENTAL HEALTH
CONDITIONS ARE AT AN INCREASED RISK. HOMES WITHOUT AIR
CONDITIONING CAN BE MUCH HOTTER THAN OUTDOOR TEMPERATURES.
USE AIR CONDITIONING TO STAY COOL AT HOME OR GO TO A PLACE THAT
HAS AIR CONDITIONING. CHECK ON VULNERABLE FRIENDS...FAMILY
MEMBERS AND NEIGHBORS. TO FIND AN NYC COOLING CENTER CALL 3-1-1 OR
VISIT NYC.GOV/OEM
TO REDUCE RISK DURING OUTDOOR WORK THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS SCHEDULING FREQUENT REST BREAKS
IN SHADED OR AIR CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENTS.
AIR QUALITY LEVELS IN OUTDOOR AIR ARE PREDICTED TO BE GREATER THAN
AN AIR QUALITY INDEX VALUE OF 100 FOR THE POLLUTANT OF GROUND LEVEL
OZONE. THE AIR QUALITY INDEX...OR AQI...WAS CREATED AS AN EASY WAY
TO CORRELATE LEVELS OF DIFFERENT POLLUTANTS TO ONE SCALE. THE HIGHER
THE AQI VALUE, THE GREATER THE HEALTH CONCERN.
WHEN POLLUTION LEVELS ARE ELEVATED...THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT
OF HEALTH RECOMMENDS THAT INDIVIDUAL CONSIDER LIMITING STRENUOUS
OUTDOOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ADVERSE HEALTH
EFFECTS. PEOPLE WHO MAY BE ESPECIALLY SENSITIVE TO THE EFFECTS OF
ELEVATED LEVELS OF POLLUTANTS INCLUDE THE VERY YOUNG, AND THOSE WITH
PRE-EXISTING RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS SUCH AS ASTHMA OR HEART DISEASE.
THOSE WITH SYMPTOMS SHOULD CONSIDER CONSULTING THEIR PERSONAL
PHYSICIAN.
A TOLL-FREE AIR QUALITY HOTLINE HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED SO NEW YORK
RESIDENTS CAN STAY INFORMED ON THE AIR QUALITY SITUATION. THE TOLL
FREE NUMBER IS 1 800 5 3 5, 1 3 4 5.