Event Summary

An oppressive air mass moved slowly east across the region from August 1 to August 3. This was preceded by a hot dry air mass, when temperatures reached at least 90 degrees for 5 consecutive days at LaGuardia Airport, from July 27 to July 31. Excessive heat occurred mainly from noon to midnight each day for 3 consecutive days. High temperatures ranged mainly from the upper 90s to around 100 degrees. With surface dew point temperatures in the mid-70s, heat indices ranged from 105 to 115 degrees. Excessive heat resulted in 42 deaths and scattered power outages that lead to business losses. In Southeast NY, excessive heat was responsible for 42 deaths; 40 in New York City; as follows: 14 in Queens, 14 in Brooklyn, 9 in Manhattan, and 3 in the Bronx. This information was provided by the NYC Office of Chief Medical Examiner. The NYC Office of Emergency Management opened 383 cooling centers that served 25,000 people per day. They also opened 6000 pools and extended their routine hours of operation. Here are selected max temperatures, in degrees Fahrenheit: August 1: LaGuardia Airport: 100 (new record) John F. Kennedy Airport: 97 (record tied) Central Park: 95 Islip McArthur Airport: 95 (record tied) August 2: LaGuardia Airport: 102 (new record) John F. Kennedy Airport: 97 (new record) Central Park: 97 Islip McArthur Airport: 98 (new record) August 3: LaGuardia Airport: 100 (new record) John F. Kennedy Airport: 99 (new record) Central Park: 96 Islip McArthur Airport: 98 (new record)