The first significant hot spell of the season is expected this weekend – and Memorial Day hasn’t even arrived yet.
Meteorologists are forecasting a high temperature of 96 degrees for the Newburgh area on Saturday, followed by a slightly cooler 93 degrees on Sunday. A strong warm front will lift across the area and bring possible record-breaking temperatures. The National Weather Service is discussing the possibility of issuing the year’s first a Heat Advisory for both days.
However, as overheated residents flock to the water to cool off, the National Weather Service cautions that jumping in the water this soon could still cause hypothermia. Since the heat is arriving so early in the season, the water basins have not yet warmed up.
“It’s important to keep in mind that ocean, nearshore, and inland water temperatures remain cold, in the 50s to around 60 degrees,” the National Weather Service explained in a Hazardous Weather Outlook. “Physical incapacitation and hypothermia are likely in as little as 10 minutes if you fall in the water, greatly increasing the risk of drowning.”
The Hudson River temperature is currently only 59 degrees, while Atlantic Ocean temperatures along NYC and Long Island beaches are in the low 50s.
The heat will also increase the risk of heat-related illness for vulnerable populations, including the elderly and those with breathing problems.
