Even raccoons give up in sweltering NYC heat
The heat is getting to New Yorkers of all shapes and sizes.
A raccoon was spotted seeking respite from the sweltering summer sun in Queens on Sunday — refusing to budge from the steps of 61st Street-Woodside Subway station of the 7 line.
NYPD’s ESU team had to coax the critter into a crate to safely remove it from the station.
The humans of New York, meanwhile, flocked to public beaches and parks to sweat out the low-90 temperatures. Jones and Orient beaches were so packed so early that the state was forced to start turning visitors away around 9:30 a.m.
There is no relief in the offing for the city, though. Monday will be even hotter, climbing to 96 degrees — just two degrees shy from the city’s July 27 record high of 98 degrees set in 1963, according to AccuWeather meteorologist Kerry Schwindenhammer.
When also factoring in humidity, wind and the sun’s angle, the city could feel close to 105 degrees tomorrow, Schwindenhammer said.
“We’re going to be pretty darn close to the record for tomorrow,” he said, blaming the unpleasant temperatures on a heat front moving into the northeast tomorrow from the American midwest.
“It’s pretty toasty in Chicago and the midwest right now. And it’s going to certainly feel very hot and with the Accuweather RealFeel it’s probably going to feel over 100 degrees, maybe approaching 105.”
Temperatures are going to dip only slightly when the sun sets, with 88-degree weather and high humidity forecast for Monday night.
“It’s going to be uncomfortably warm and sticky at night,” Schwindenhammer said
A heat advisory is in effect for the five boroughs from 12 p.m. Sunday to 8 p.m. Monday.
Temperatures will remain in the low 90s Tuesday and Wednesday, with a thunderstorm likely moving into town on Tuesday afternoon, according to AccuWeather.
But the humidity isn’t expected to relent until Thursday, according to Schwindenhammer.
“There will be a noticeable drop [in humidity] Thursday afternoon into Friday,” he said, “and we’ll probably stay dry through the weekend.”
The city is operating cooling centers around the city — free, air-conditioned indoor spaces — and proactively opening fire hydrants to try and help New Yorkers beat the heat.
“New York City, the next couple of days are going to be unbelievably HOT ones,” Mayor Bill de BLasio tweeted Sunday morning. “It’s critical that vulnerable groups take precautions. Make every effort to stay SAFE. Make every effort to stay COOL.”