As a record-breaking heatwave looms and Upstate New York is set to flirt with almost 100 degree Fahrenheit heat this week, the National Weather Service has issued an urgent extreme heat warning and a heat advisory alert for Tompkins County and surrounding areas.
The extreme heat warning is in effect on Monday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The heat advisory is in effect from Sunday at noon to Monday at 10 a.m., then resumes on Monday at 8 p.m. until Wednesday at 8 p.m.
Monday will be the hottest day of the week, with temperatures that could feel like 110 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the NWS’ expected heat index values. Sunday through Wednesday, temperatures will be in the 90s with sun and chance of thunderstorms.
NWS Heat Alert System
The NWS has a three-tiered heat alert system. In order of increasing heat risk, the NWS issues heat advisories, extreme heat watches and extreme heat warnings.
Extreme heat warnings signal “extremely dangerous heat conditions” that will certainly occur. The NWS advises people living in areas under extreme heat warnings to avoid heavy activity, stay out of the sun, stay hydrated, find cool areas to dwell and check on pets and vulnerable people like children and the elderly.
The NWS issues heat advisories when “dangerous heat conditions” are expected, but will not reach warning criteria. Under heat advisory, people should also take precautions like staying in cool areas out of the sun, drinking water and checking on family and friends, according to the NWS.
The approaching heatwave is record-breaking. The NWS expects “numerous daily record maximum and minimum temperatures” over the course of the week. As the “extremely dangerous” weather travels from the midwest to the east, the NWS warns people without effective cooling or hydration to especially take care.
Community Resources
Mayor Robert Cantelmo advises the community to take care of themselves and each other as the heat intensifies. In a statement to the Ithaca Times, he wrote that the community should take advantage of local cooling centers, which are air-conditioned spaces where the public is welcome to cool off.
He pointed to centers like the Greater Ithaca Activities Center, the Tompkins County Public Library and the YMCA of Ithaca and Tompkins County as good resources. A full list of the New York cooling centers is available online.
“I want to encourage all residents to avoid being out in hot temperatures whenever possible this week,” Cantelmo wrote. “Remember to look out for your vulnerable friends and neighbors.”
Varsha Bhargava is a reporter at the Ithaca Times and a news editor at The Cornell Daily Sun working on The Sun’s summer fellowship. This article was originally published in the Ithaca Times.
Varsha Bhargava is a news editor for the 143rd Editorial Board and a member of the Class of 2027 in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She can be reached at vbhargava@cornellsun.com.
