Crank up the air conditioning, it’s steamy out there.
With a high temperature of 93 degrees expected on Tuesday, which would make it the fourth consecutive day of 90-degree heat, officials are urging New Yorkers to stay hydrated and take advantage of the city’s cooling centers.
“We’re continuing to see extreme heat today – our cooling centers are open,” Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted on Monday.
Cooling centers will remain open through Wednesday, according to the city Office of Emergency Management. To find a nearby cooling center — air-conditioned facilities such as libraries and community centers — call 311 or visit nyc.gov/beattheheat.
At the Woodstock Senior Center on 43rd Street in Manhattan, hundreds of people were spread out around the second-floor cooling center on Sunday afternoon.
The senior center features a computer room, game room, television, Wi-Fi connection and meals for people over 60 years old, according to director Chenal Thompson. There is at least one air conditioner in each room — two in the game room — in addition to the central air conditioning system.
Thompson said the center gets about 220 people on a hot day, or about 20 more than they usually see.
“Not everybody has a place to stay cool,” she said. “We’re located in the heart of Times Square — you just want a welcoming safe haven environment for people to cool down.”
Chelsea resident Tomi Gatling, 68, has been frequenting the Woodstock Senior Center for years. On Sunday, she was posting signs throughout the building and the staircase directing people to the cooling center.
“A lot of people do not make enough money to have air conditioners,” she said.
The NWS is also advising New Yorkers to take precautions to avoid heat exhaustion and heat stroke by wearing lightweight, loose-fitting clothing, drinking plenty of water and limiting strenuous outdoor activities to the early morning or evening hours.
Over in Bryant Park, Jared Robertson, 32, of Hamilton Heights, said being outside was nicer than being in his apartment, even with the oppressive heat.
“I don’t have A/C and I live on the sixth floor,” he said, adding that he was taking a few precautions to keep cool. “Just stay in the shade; drink plenty of fluids.”
A reprieve from the heat likely won’t come until later in the workweek, as the high temperature for Wednesday is forecast to be 87 and Thursday is expected to top out around 90, per the NWS.
