Extreme heat on deck for New York, New Jersey area. Here's a guide to staying cool.
The Tri-State Area is bracing for dangerously hot weather over the second half of the week, into the Fourth of July weekend.
New York, New Jersey and Connecticut officials are starting to activate their responses before the heat arrives.
Cooling centers will open, swimming pools will have extended hours and city and state officials are urging residents to take precautions.
Emergency officials are urging people to get their errands done before Wednesday.
"Visit a grocery store or food pantry to stock up, and get your prescriptions sorted so you are not making a pharmacy run in the worst of the heat. Handling it now means you can stay cool during the hottest days instead of carrying bags through the heat," NYC Emergency Management wrote on social media.
Cooling centers in NYC, Tri-State Area
Hundreds of cooling centers are opening Wednesday across all five boroughs at schools, libraries, hospitals and senior centers.
The Javits Center will also be converted into a center through the Fourth of July weekend.
For the first time, the city is deploying 15 mobile cool vans staffed with nurses and paramedics. They will hand out water, electrolytes, and sunscreen. Staff will also perform wellness checks, transport people to centers and make in-home visits to vulnerable, older adults.
New Yorkers can also use the LinkNYC kiosks to find the nearest center.
Pop-up stations with water, misting fans and cooling towels will be available for outdoor workers.
To find your nearest cooling center, click here for New York, here for Connecticut and here for New Jersey.
The city also has a list of cooling features, such as pools, sprinklers, water fountains and areas with shade, that people can use. Click here for the map.
MTA gearing up for heat
Subway station fans will be activated to increase airflow.
Railcars and buses will also be inspected to make sure the air conditioning is working.
Transit officials will increase inspections of tracks, machine rooms and other equipment to make sure they are not being affected by the high temperatures.
N.Y. parks, beaches, pools open late
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the state is extending hours at parks, beaches and pools.
Here's a list of the new hours in the area:
Hudson Valley
- High Tor State Park: Wednesday, July 1 and Thursday, July 2 from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- Rockland Lake State Park: Wednesday, July 1 and Thursday, July 2 from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- Lake Minnewaska State Park: Wednesday, July 1 and Thursday, July 2 from 10:15 a.m. to 7:15 p.m.
- Lake Awosting/Minnewaska State Park: Wednesday, July 1 and Thursday, July 2 from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- Lake Welch/Harriman State Park: Wednesday, July 1 and Thursday, July 2 from 10 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.
- Lake Tiorati/Harriman State Park: Wednesday, July 1 and Thursday, July 2 from 10 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.
- Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park Pool: Wednesday, July 1 through Friday, July 3 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Fahnestock State Park: Wednesday, July 1 through Friday, July 3 from 10 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.
Long Island
- Jones Beach – Field 6, Central Mall, Field 2: Wednesday, July 1 through Friday, July 3 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Jones Beach – West Bathhouse: Wednesday, July 1 through Friday, July 3 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Robert Moses State Park – Fields 2, 3, and 5: Wednesday, July 1 through Friday, July 3 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Sunken Meadow State Park – Main Beach: Wednesday, July 1 through Friday, July 3 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Hither Hills State Park: Wednesday, July 1 through Friday, July 3 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Wildwood State Park: Wednesday, July 1 through Friday, July 3 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
New York City
- Gantry Plaza State Park spraypad: Wednesday, July 1 through Friday, July 3 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park, 6:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. indoor and outdoor pool) (9 a.m. to 11 a.m. senior swim) (11 a.m. to 2 p.m. recreational swim all ages) (3 p.m. to 7 p.m. recreational swim all ages); Wednesday, July 1 through Friday, July 3
Connecticut extreme hot weather protocol
Gov. Ned Lamont announced the state's Extreme Hot Weather Protocol will be activated at noon Tuesday through at least 6 p.m. Sunday.
"We want to get the word out that cooling centers are opening statewide for anyone who needs some relief, especially those who are most vulnerable to these extreme conditions," he said in a statement.
