Temperature's Rising: Heat Advisories Issued For Hudson Valley

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — The storm front that flooded southern Westchester and northern New Jersey has brought dangerously high heat and humidity in its wake and the National Weather Service has already issued heat advisories for the region for Wednesday.

State health officials warned that Tuesday will bring oppressive heat to the Hudson Valley, New York City and Long Island.

By 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, New York state officials said.

"The next several days will bring extreme heat throughout the state with dangerous heat indices potentially reaching into the 100s," Gov. Kathy Hochul said in an announcement about locations for cooling centers at a dedicated webpage here.

So far, the local NWS advisories are for noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday. A Heat Advisory is issued when the combination of heat and humidity is expected to make it feel like it is 95 to 99 degrees for two or more consecutive days, or 100 to 104 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.

Check on vulnerable friends, family members and neighbors.

Use air conditioning to stay cool at home, or if you can, go someplace that has air-conditioning.

To find local cooling centers, you can use New York State's database. The NY Department of Health collects information about seasonal cooling centers from local health departments and emergency management offices.

If a cooling center is not available, libraries, supermarkets, malls, and community swimming pools are great places to stay cool, state health officials said. Check with your village hall, local health department or local news sources for possible additional cooling centers during heat events.

To help prevent outages, conserve energy during high temperatures. Here are some tips from Con Edison on how:

• If you are running your air conditioner, close off unoccupied rooms. If you are using the AC in your living room and nobody is in the bedrooms, close the doors to those rooms;
• Set your air conditioner to the highest comfortable temperature. Every degree you lower the thermostat increases costs;
• To reduce heat and moisture in your home, run appliances such as ovens, washing machines, dryers and dishwashers in the early morning or late at night when it’s cooler outside;
• When the AC is running, close doors to keep cool air in and hot air out;
• Keep shades, blinds and curtains closed. About 40 percent of unwanted heat comes through windows;
• Even when using AC, use ceiling and other fans to provide additional cooling and better circulation;
• Turn off AC units, lights and other appliances when not at home and use a timer to turn on your air conditioner about a half-hour before arriving home;
• If you run a business, keep the door closed while running the AC.
• Keep AC filters clean.

To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments.

Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! In cases of heat stroke call 9 1 1.

Heat is the number one weather-related killer in the United States, according to New York State health officials. Heat-related deaths and illness are preventable, yet annually many people suffer from the effects of extreme heat. Some individuals are at a higher risk for heat-related illness than others. New Yorkers should learn the risk factors and symptoms of heat-related illness to protect themselves and those they love.

Symptoms of heat stroke include:

• 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.

MORE INFO:

Cooling Centers Open Across Rockland County