New Yorkers flocked to park fountains and city pools to cool off Wednesday, as an oppressive “heat dome” baked the Big Apple just before the official first day of summer Thursday.
Kids beat the heat by splashing in the Washington Square Park fountain while a street musician played the saxophone shirtless and one sun-lover used a reflective windshield pad to get a tan — as temperatures soared to a muggy 89 degrees.
The year’s first stretch of scorching weather is expected to hit a sticky high of 91 Thursday — this year’s summer solstice — with “feels like” temperatures in the high 90s, meteorologists said.
The lengthy patch of oppressive weather is being caused by a “heat dome,” or a hot-air mass that’s trapped under a high-pressure system that locks it in place.
And it’s going to get worse before it gets better, with the heat intensifying over parts of the weekend, said FOX Weather Meteorologist Samantha Thomas.
“It’s definitely the first real hot stretch of the year and it can be harder for people to adjust to the first one,” Thomas said. “It’s a good time to remind yourself to wear light colored clothing, spend time in the shade, wear sunscreen and drink lots of water.”
Friday is expected to hit a sweltering high of 92, followed by 87 on Saturday and 93 on Sunday — all with “feels like” temps nearing the triple digits.
Officially, a heat wave is defined by meteorologists as three consecutive days that reach 90 or more degrees — which Thomas said was “a possibility” for New York City.
The record for hottest ever June 20 in the Big Apple was set in 1923 at 98 degrees, and the highest temperature ever recorded on June 21 was 97 degrees in 1988.
Earlier this week, Mayor Eric Adams warned New Yorkers to take the extreme heat seriously, stressing that cooling centers would open citywide.
“We want to be clear, this is extremely hot for June and New Yorkers should not underestimate the heat,” Adams said.
“With climate change leading to more frequent and intense heat, summers are different than they were before and so we should expect and be prepared for the hot weather that is coming.”
