Temp Could Hit 100 In Dangerous NYC Heat Wave, City Says

NEW YORK — Thermometers could hit 100 degrees in New York City for the first time in seven years during a dangerous weekend heat wave, city officials warned Wednesday.

The hot streak will start Wednesday and peak Saturday, when the temperature could reach 100 degrees and the five boroughs could feel as hot as 109 with humidity factored in, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

The mercury is are expected to break 90 degrees on three of the next four days, and Wednesday could bring thunderstorms and flash flooding on top of punishing heat, officials said.

"Everyone needs to be aware of the extent of this challenge and make the kind of adjustments to protect yourself and your family so we can get through the next few days OK," de Blasio, a Democrat, said at a news conference in Brooklyn.

The high temperatures could put New Yorkers at risk for heat stroke, which can cause dizziness, nausea, rapid heartbeat, disorientation and other symptoms, according to Dr. Oxiris Barbot, the city's health commissioner.

City officials urged New Yorkers to limit outdoor activity and take shelter in air-conditioned buildings, but also keep their thermostats at 78 degrees to prevent excess demand for power from causing a blackout like the one that struck Manhattan last weekend. The city will maintain that temperature in municipal buildings, de Blasio said.

"We want to make sure we balance the need for people to stay cool with the amount of electricity that’s being used in the city," de Blasio said. "We want to avoid an overload of the electrical system."

More than 500 cooling centers will be open throughout the weekend for New Yorkers who don't have AC at home, the mayor said. The city will also extend the hours that its public pools are open and park sprinklers are turned on, officials said.

The city also extended its beach hours to 7 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver initially said they would close at 6 p.m. so they could be cleaned, but de Blasio announced the extension after a Katie Honan, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, pressed officials on the issue.

The city has not seen a 100-degree day since July 18, 2012, according to the National Weather Service. The highest temperature ever recorded in Central Park was 106 degrees on July 9, 1936.

De Blasio said he canceled a presidential campaign trip out of the city and would stick around New York this weekend to keep an eye on the extreme heat.

The mayor was campaigning in Iowa on Saturday when a massive blackout darkened a large swath of Manhattan and the threat of immigration raids loomed.