Long Island is on track to tie—and maybe break—its 20-year record for its longest heat wave before a cold front moves in and cools off the region this weekend.
Friday is forecast to be the sixth day of the first heat wave of summer, tying the record set in Islip in 1993. But, if temperatures break 90 as expected on Saturday before the cool air mass comes, it could become the longest heat wave ever recorded on LI, according to Upton-based National Weather Service meteorologists.
“It looks like the last day of the heat wave is going to be Saturday…depending upon when the clouds start to move in,” said Tim Morrin, an NWS forecaster. “That day would count as the last day of the heat wave.”
NWS issued a heat advisory for Long Island and the tri-state area through 8 p.m. Thursday, as the humidity makes it feel more like a sweltering 100 degrees. An air quality alert is also in effect through 11 p.m.
Morrin urged the public to drink plenty of fluids, stay in air conditioning and not perform strenuous activity outside—adding that even fit, healthy people can get heat stress or sun stroke.
New York State, Nassau and Suffolk county pools and several towns have extended beach and pool hours and opened cooling centers to help residents beat the heat.
A chance of showers is predicted for Saturday and Sunday to start off next week in the 80s. There’s also a chance of scattered thunderstorms after sundown Thursday.
