Long Island weather: Extreme heat during holiday week has officials urging revelers to stay cool

Air temperatures that feel well above 100 degrees and possible thunderstorms will make for a July Fourth that forecasters say will test the resilience of Long Islanders celebrating America’s 250th anniversary.

As a "heat dome" settles over the region, the National Weather Service is expecting "widespread" temperatures that will feel like up to 110 degrees across the New York City area when factoring in the high humidity.

The National Weather Service warned of extreme heat and humidity through 9 p.m. Saturday as the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation issued an air quality health advisory for elevated ground-level ozone from 11 a.m. through 11 p.m. Thursday.

The conditions, expected to be worst Friday, will pose a high risk to young children, the elderly, those with respiratory conditions and anyone working or living outside, officials said.

"Record to near record dangerous heat is expected through Friday and will likely continue on Independence Day," said the weather service, which called the heat wave potentially "deadly."

In a statement issued at 6 a.m. Thursday, the weather service said isolated showers and thunderstorms are possible each day through Sunday. Any of these thunderstorms have the potential to produce damaging winds, large hail, and localized flash flooding, forecasters said.

Newsday TV meteorologist Geoff Bansen said actual temperatures Thursday will hover around 100 on Long Island's North Shore and be cooler closer to the South Shore and the Atlantic beaches.

Bansen's forecast called for real-feel temperatures of 104 in Great Neck and Farmingdale. But near the ocean, communities including Babylon and Montauk will have real feels in the mid-70s.

In contrast, the high in Islip on July 2, 1976, as Americans prepared to mark the nation’s bicentennial, was 82 degrees, followed by another 82-degree day and a 77-degree Fourth of July.

The conditions forecast for Thursday through Saturday spell out the Island's first heat wave of the summer — three consecutive days of temps hitting 90 or higher. And that means organizers of outdoor events marking the nation's semiquincentennial told Newsday they are bracing for an uptick in revelers suffering from heat-related illnesses.

This level of heat could be "dangerous," especially on a holiday weekend when people are likely to gather outdoors, weather service meteorologist Bryan Ramsey told Newsday.

"We’re going to see the hottest time of the day between noon and 8 p.m. and the overnights will still be quite warm," Ramsey said. He noted that while Saturday will not be quite as hot as Thursday and Friday, people should still "stay indoors in the air conditioning as long as they can."

"If they’re going outdoors, stay hydrated, stay shaded, bring portable fans," the meteorologist added. "People who are working outside should clearly take plenty of breaks."

The FourLeaf Air Show at Jones Beach is set to bring big crowds beginning Friday when pilots practice for performances Sunday and Monday.

On Saturday, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation will host the annual FourLeaf Fireworks Spectacular. While the fireworks will begin at 9:30 p.m., attendees will arrive hours in advance for other activities. To battle the heat wave, the state set up several "hydration stations" to distribute water and will have more ambulances on site than usual for large gatherings, George Gorman, Long Island regional director of state parks, told Newsday. Even before they get to the beach, Gorman said attendees should be drinking water "all day long" and eating their "normal meals."

"Some people tend to skip meals because they’re at the beach and they’re in a swimsuit," he said. They should eat normally, wear lightweight and light-colored clothing, as well as UV protected sunglasses.

Organizers of other events on Long Island were also preparing to treat overheated spectators. The Town of Smithtown will host a concert and drone show at Callahans Beach on Friday evening, followed by a Saturday morning parade and a ceremony that includes a live reading of the Declaration of Independence. The town will set up a cooling center at the beach Friday evening and a tent will supplement other shaded areas on Saturday. For both events, the town will employ "big, industrial sized misting fans" that will blow "cool air with a little bit of water" on the crowd, town spokesperson Nicole Garguilo told Newsday. 

All Long Islanders are advised to use their air conditioning, especially seniors, who can be reluctant to turn it on, according to Erin Forsberg, a senior citizen case manager for the Family and Children's Association, a Garden City-based nonprofit.

"Their temperature regulation is different than ours at a younger age, so they are very often cold," Forsberg, 24, said. "Also, circulation gets a little worse as you age, so it’s harder for them to keep their extremities warm."

Seniors and other clients on a fixed or low income are also "scared" to use it as "it might be too expensive for them," Forsberg said. She added they should either visit a local cooling center or feel reassured that "their health and safety is more important."

"If they are in that situation, we would rather them turn it on, and we will help them figure something out, than to not use it at all," she said.

Isolated showers and thunderstorms with "damaging winds" could occur both Friday and Saturday evenings "when a lot of people may be outdoors," Ramsey said. The meteorologist advised anyone who hears thunder to immediately go indoors.

Such conditions could alter the plans for fireworks above Jones Beach.

"We have representatives from the National Weather Service who will be on site monitoring with us," Gorman said. "If there are any issues, we will obviously take whatever action and precaution we need to take to keep everyone safe."