New York City activates Heat Emergency Plan amid heat wave

New York City has activated its Heat Emergency Plan through Wednesday as the area hits peak heat on Tuesday.

Temperatures on Tuesday are in the mid-90s but they will feel like temperatures in the triple digits.

Officials are urging New Yorkers to take steps to protect themselves and help others who may be at increased risk from the heat.

Cooling centers will open across the city. To find locations, call 311 or visit the city's Cool Options Map .

Officials also suggest that New Yorkers beat the heat by visiting somewhere cool like museums, movie theaters, coffee shops, pools, houses of worship or a friend's home.

Close to 900 lifeguards are now working at New York City pools and beaches this summer. The city began the season with around 600 lifeguards but needs about 500 lifeguards at pools and 1,000 at beaches for full staffing.

In New York City, officials say most heat-related deaths occur after exposure to heat in homes without air conditioners. Air conditioning is the best way to stay safe and healthy when it is hot outside, experts say.

Con Edison said it is preparing for high air conditioning use and hoping to avoid any outages.

"Our success today depends on the entire team, we have the front-line team out there getting the work done, we have the engineering team behind the scenes, we have the call center, we have the communications team -- communication is key on days like today, and of course the IT systems which we're all using to keep us ahead of the game," said Pat McHugh.

There is also a chance that thunderstorms could produce 50 mph+ winds, lightning, hail and cause flash flooding or tornadoes.

"New Yorkers should take every precaution they can over the next couple of days to stay cool and stay safe as the combination of severe storms, heat, and humidity will pose a significant health risk for vulnerable New Yorkers," Gov. Kathy Hochul said.

----------

* Get the AccuWeather App

* More AccuWeather

* Follow us on YouTube

* More local news

* Sign up for free newsletters

Submit Weather Photos and Videos

Have weather photos or videos to share? Send to Eyewitness News using this form. Terms of use apply.