Hundreds Lose Power as Stifling Heat Continues; Thunderstorms Expected Thursday

Temperatures surpassed the 90-degree mark in parts of the tri-state area for the second consecutive day Thursday amid a stretch of sizzling weather blamed for power outages to hundreds of customers in the region.

Forecasters projected a high of 91 degrees for the city, with increasing cloud cover over the course of the day that could lead to showers and thunderstorms by early evening. The wet weather will provide a brief respite from the smothering heat, but mugginess returns overnight and more stifling humidity is expected Friday, along with the first official heat wave of 2016.

A heat wave is defined as three more or more days when temperatures are at 90 degrees or above. And the excessive use of air conditioners contributed to power outages across the region Wednesday into Thursday.

Crews scrambled Thursday to restore power to residents in Astoria, Queens, who woke up without lights or air conditioning. Nearly 200 people were without power as Con Edison crews worked near 44th Street and Broadway into the afternoon. Power slowly returned to the homes by nighttime. 

A transformer fire on Wolf Lane in Pelham cut power to more than 250 people on Wednesday night, according to Con Edison. Firefighters were able to get the fire under control and Con Edison said it would have power restored to customers overnight.

With the heat lingering Thursday, Gov. Cuomo directed state agencies to conserve power by taking measures such as shutting off lights when offices are not in use.

By mid-afternoon, temperatures reached 90 degrees at LaGuardia Airport and a steamy 91 degrees at Teterboro in New Jersey. Con Edison said power was hovering between 11,600 and 11,700 megawatts, which marks the highest demand of 2016 but falls well short of the 12,000 forecast by the utility. 

An 84-year-old Westchester County man was found passed out from the heat in his Westchester County home Thursday morning when utility workers responded to a call about a faulty gas thermometer. He was taken to the hospital as officials reminded New Yorkers to check on their elderly neighbors. 

With the looming rain, a flash flood watch was issued for northern New Jersey, New York City, coastal Connecticut, and Nassau County from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The possibility of storms lingers on Friday and is even more likely on Saturday, when showers and storms are forecast for later in the day. Saturday should wrap up the four-day heat wave. The high is expected to be around 90 degrees that day.

The tri-state saw several heat waves last year, and temperatures were above 80 degrees for well over a month straight. A heat wave in early August last summer was the first the city had seen since 2013.

It will begin to cool down a bit on Sunday and a breeze and lower humidity should make for more comfortable weather. The same goes for Monday, when highs will be in the mid 80s.

But temperatures begin to move up once again on Tuesday and Wednesday. It doesn’t look like it’ll be a heat wave, but highs will linger near 90 degrees on both days.

Next week should wrap up with slightly cooler weather and storms.