No, you're not the only one sweating. This July has a good chance of becoming the hottest month in New York City's history.
To beat the previous record, temperatures have to keep an average above 79 degrees for the rest of the month, National Weather Service meteorologist Brian Ciemnecki told the New York Times.
July of 1999 holds the current record for the hottest month, with an average temperature of 81.4 degrees. This July's current average is 81.6, so, barring any freak cold spells, we're set to fry the 1999 record to a crisp.
Three people have already lost their lives due to the extreme heat, according to published reports. The most recent victim, a 22-year-old Brooklyn man, died this weekend of hyperthermia, "exposure to high environmental temperature," the Office of the City Medical Examiner confirmed.
Two people -- a 46-ytear-old woman and a 70year-old man -- died on July 6, this month's hottest day to datea.
By contrast, the infamous summer of 1999 saw more than 40 heat-related deaths. But that was before the city opened cooling centers.
As far as breaking the heat record goes, "I think it's going to be really close," Stephen Fybish, a respected New York City weather historian, told the Times. Keeping an average temperature of over 79 degrees is going to be a sweaty, stinky struggle. At least we'll probably come in third for 'Most July Days Above 90 Degrees,'" he said.
"Hottest July On Record" is interesting, but when you're packed into a crowded subway it's hard to get as excited as the meteorologists about it.
