Weekend Scorcher: Temps Hover Near 100; Some Relief Sunday

More oppressive weather hovered over the tri-state Saturday, but forecasts indicate it should be the last day of a week-long heat wave that has broken records around the region.

Temperatures were near or just above 100 degrees in most areas by Saturday afternoon -- with heat indexes ranging from 105 to 110 degrees -- and there was just a slight chance for isolated thunderstorms for the rest of the day.

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service continued an excessive heat warning that was to remain in effect until at least 8 p.m.

Cooling centers are open in all five boroughs. 

On Friday, the heat broke records, hitting 104 degrees in Central Park and a sultry 108 in Newark.

The heat index was greater than 110 degrees in both New York City and Newark; 108 degrees is the hottest ever on record in New Jersey's largest city. The previous Central Park record for July 22 was 101 degrees, set in 1957.

Con Edison said energy usage set a record Friday. Overall electric use peaked at 13,189 megawatts at 4 p.m., eclipsing the all-time record of 13,141 megawatts set on Aug. 2, 2006.

Scattered power outages and brownouts continued to roll through the area on Saturday.

Change will come Sunday, the National Weather Service said, with a cold front starting to make its way east.  On Sunday, highs will be around 90 degrees and by Monday temperatures will be a comparatively mild 80.

In the meantime, Commissioner Joe Bruno of the city's Office of Emergency Management urged New Yorkers on Friday to "conserve, conserve, conserve."
 

  • As of  4 p.m., Con Ed reported 9,532 outages around New York City and Westchester.  Most of those outages are in Queens, with a high concentration in the Hillcrest section, where homes, businesses and street lights are out.  In Middle Village, hundreds of customers will be without power until Sunday morning, the utility said.
     
  • At 3 p.m., New Jersey's PSE&G was reporting about 4,100 customers statewide who are without power due to the weather.   
     
  • There were scattered outages affecting about 8,000 people on Long Island, and the Long Island Power Authority urged customers to conserve power to avoid additional problems.

     

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