Jun 9, 2008 11:30 pm US/Eastern
Power Mostly Restored; Tuesday Scorcher Lurks
Temperatures Hit Upper 90s On Monday For Third Straight Day, Threaten Records; T-Storm Possible Tuesday
Power Outages Affect Tens Of Thousands
Heat And Severe Weather Advisories Issued For Most Of Tri-State
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
The springtime sizzler that's turned into a horribly hazy and humid heat wave continues to bear down on the tri-state, causing thousands to lose power, and many schools to close early. CBS 2 HD's Lonnie Quinn said temperatures in Central Park topped out at 96 on Monday, a degree shy of the record, but humidity still made it feel between 100 and 105.
In Newark, the temperature reached a high of 99, tying the record there. The temperature at LaGuardia Airport was also 99, setting a new record.
Just after 11 p.m. on Monday, some 1,300 families in the Bronx lost power. Con-Ed crews were working into Tuesday morning to restore electricity to homes and businesses in the Pelham Gardens section.
But that was just the capper on long and scorching day for many throughout the region.
At least half of Essex County lost power shortly before 3 p.m. after a breaker at the PSE&G West Orange switching station failed, perhaps due to the excessive heat, causing a fire. According to a PSE&G official, power was restored to everyone by 8:25 p.m.
Officials were forced to shut the switcher down causing the outage.
Towns affected include: South Orange, East Orange, West Orange, Orange, Irvington, Montclair, Caldwell, Verona.
In Monmouth County, soaring temperatures led to 10,000 being left without power.
More than 12,000 Long Island Power Authority customers were left without power Monday morning. Con Ed reported about 1,500 outages in Brooklyn. Some customers were also without power in Westchester County.
As for schools affected by the heat -- all Bloomfield public schools were closed Monday, while schools in Clifton, Wayne, Bloomingdale, Ringwood, West Paterson, Little Falls, Passaic, Boonton, Englewood, Glen Rock, Lodi, New Milford and Wyckoff dismissed their students early.
Many schools lack air conditioning; some schools in Rockland County's Nyack, Westchester County's Pelham, and Long Island's Hempstead dismissed early. "Some classrooms are expected to reach 100 degrees," said Pelham's Web site.
The heat wave was expected to continue through Tuesday, with high temperatures reaching the upper 90s again. Severe weather is also possible later in the day.
New York City offered 300 cooling centers; Putnam, Westchester and Rockland counties, to the north, had them as well. City Office of Emergency Management spokesman Chris Gilbride said that on Saturday and Sunday, 3,500 people visited the centers. Libraries and shopping malls also were recommended for relief.
Special attention was directed toward the frail and elderly. Dr. Tom Matte, director of environmental research at the city Health Department, said heat-related ambulance dispatches over the weekend increased tenfold compared to a normal June day. Matte warned that chronic illnesses can worsen without air conditioning.
During a heat wave in late July and early August of 2006, 40 people died directly from heat stroke, and the sometimes triple-digit temperatures contributed to the deaths of another 60 people, health officials said.
"We're calling on all New Yorkers to check in on the homebound elderly," said Beth Shapiro, spokeswoman for Citymeals on Wheels. The program's deliverers were making sure clients are well hydrated; meal boxes include fruit and extra liquids.
The city's Department for the Aging also was urging "a friendly knock on the door to say hello" and make sure all is well, said spokesman Christopher Miller.
In the fifth inning of the Kansas City Royals-Yankees game, fans cheered loudly when a cloud moved in front of the sun, then booed moments later when the sun returned.
The city's parks department reported throngs at its parks, beaches, pools and about 650 playground spray showers.
The Health and Environmental Conservation departments said ozone, a major component of smog and summer heat, especially affects people who work or exercise outdoors, and those with respiratory problems.
"It's just crazy. ... It's really, really hot," said Jessica Pena, 27, her hair up in a bun as she swept a midtown Manhattan street.
The relentless heat comes a day after thunderstorms tossed trees on train tracks, delayed airlines for hours and knocked out power to thousands of homes and businesses.
Sunday night's storms uprooted about 100 huge trees on the yellow, blue and red golf courses at Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, said George Gorman, deputy regional director for the state parks. The Black Course, site of the 2009 U.S.Open, was largely unaffected.
On Monday, Consolidated Edison said outages were down to about 789, in Brooklyn and Westchester. The subway's "F" train was disrupted between West 4th Street in Manhattan and Stillwell Avenue in Coney Island due to a signal problem.
The Long Island Power Authority reported 4,800 customers without electricity after the previous night's storms, mostly in Brookhaven. Nearly 10,000 customers in Putnam and northern Westchester counties lost power, but most were quickly restored, according to New York State Electric and Gas.
In Westchester, David Nelson, 33, of Harrison, was gassing up his Nissan in White Plains and hoping his car air conditioner wouldn't affect his mileage too much.
"I read somewhere it costs you more to drive with the windows open because of the drag on the car, so today I'm hoping that's true," he said. "Opening the windows does nothing on a day like this."
Sunday's high in Central Park was 93, just shy of the 95 degree record for the date, set in 1933. On Saturday, the high was 94.
The heat wave is expected to break by midweek, with temperatures falling back into the 80s.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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