Governor Kathy Hochul issued a state of emergency on Monday for New York City and large portions of the state in response to a dangerous heat wave expected to break records dating back more than a century.
Over the weekend, violent storms swept through upstate New York, triggering deadly flash floods and intense thunderstorms. Meteorologists warned that a prolonged heat wave gripping the Northeast could push thermometers past 100 degrees on at least one day this week, with oppressive humidity making it feel even hotter.
Temperatures in the five boroughs nearly reached triple digits on Monday, and Tuesday’s forecast predicted a high of 102 degrees. If that holds, it would surpass the previous record highs of 96 degrees recorded in Central Park in 1888.
Meanwhile, central New York was hit hard by fierce weather. Powerful winds and torrential rain uprooted trees and destroyed buildings, claiming at least three lives in Oneida County — among them, twin girls, according to the Oneida County Sheriff’s Department.
In response to the devastation and extreme heat, Hochul enacted a state of emergency covering New York City, Long Island, and several upstate counties, including Westchester. The move enables the deployment of additional resources to affected areas.
“Our hearts break for the tragic loss of life during last night’s storms, and my administration has been in touch with local elected officials offering support,” Hochul said in a press release.
“State emergency response personnel are already on the ground providing resources and support as we work to recover from this severe weather and restore power quickly,” she said.
“I urge all New Yorkers to stay weather aware and take precautions to stay vigilant and safe as extreme heat and severe weather are expected to continue impacting the State over the next couple of days.”
Central New York, the Southern Tier, and the North Country were all expected to face continued rainfall, exacerbating the risk of more flooding.
Officials cautioned that flash flood conditions in central parts of the state could quickly spread to the Southern Tier and the mid-Hudson Valley.
As of Monday, about 50,000 residents across New York were dealing with power outages caused by the weekend storms. Roughly 35,000 of those were in Oneida County alone, according to National Grid’s outage map.
The emergency declaration encompasses all five boroughs of New York City, Long Island, and the counties of Albany, Broome, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Dutchess, Essex, Greene, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Orange, Otsego, Putnam, Rensselaer, Rockland, Saratoga, Schenectady, Tioga, Ulster, Warren, Washington, Westchester, and surrounding counties.
{Matzav.com}