As New Jersey bakes, some cities ask residents to cut water use
The intense and unusually early heat wave that has ravaged much of the Northeast over the past week continued to ravage New Jersey on Sunday, with extreme heat warnings, or heat advisories, in effect across most of the state. according to the National Weather Service.
Temperatures across the region on Sunday were more than 10 degrees above average, according to Joe DeSilva, a meteorologist with the Weather Service. Trenton, the state capital, reached 98 degrees – just two degrees lower than the city’s highest recorded temperature, last measured in 1952, he said.
The worst of the sweltering heat should be over by Sunday evening, Mr. DeSilva said, although temperatures were expected to remain in the 80s for the next week.
Officials in several communities urged residents — especially the elderly, homeless and those with chronic health conditions — to prevent heat-related illnesses by staying hydrated, using air conditioning, limiting strenuous physical activity and wearing loose, light-colored clothing. Pet owners should also monitor their animals for signs of overheating, such as excessive panting, drooling and lethargy, officials said.
The state Department of Environmental Protection encouraged New Jersey residents to take advantage of the Chill Out NJ Toolan online map of public places where people can find air conditioning, swimming pools, splash pads, beaches or shaded parks.
The ongoing heat wave has also affected some places, including Town of Pennsville, Moorestown and Vineland in South Jersey, and Ridgewood, Denville And Butler in North Jersey, to announce mandatory or optional water restrictions, asking residents not to wash their cars or water their lawns. And at the Red Bull Arena in Harrison, a National Women’s Football Competition The match between Gotham FC and Washington Spirit on Sunday was moved from 1:30 PM to 6:00 PM due to the heat.
In Newark’s Ironbound neighborhood, where temperatures topped 100 degrees Fahrenheit, heat radiated clearly from the Ferry Street pavement. People flocked to the Sihana Café, where they enjoyed air conditioning and free water.
“It’s ridiculously hot,” said Monica Dos Santos, 24, a café worker, as she served another iced coffee. “People have to stay inside and stay cool unless they can get to the beach. And if you can get to the beach, you have to live on it.”
In Jersey City, Genevieve Friedman, who traveled from Brooklyn to meet a friend for brunch in the Paulus Hook neighborhood, said she was doing everything she could to beat the heat.
“I’m at an all-time high in my fluid intake and I’m leaving my air conditioning on at night, which I never do,” said Ms. Friedman, 29, an editor at a medical news website, as she sat on a stoop, sweating and waiting for her friend to arrive.
Although the weather was far from pleasant, Ms. Friedman said New Jersey residents had better get used to it.
“Climate change is going to bring more extreme weather events,” she said. “We can only expect more of this.”
New Jersey heats up faster than any other state in the regionAccording to the Department of Environmental Protection, extreme heat events are expected to become more common and last longer.
Some residents fled North Jersey’s urban areas on Sunday for the relative relief of the Jersey Shore.
Franco Riofrio, 41, a banker from Woodland Park, had traveled to the public beach at Sea Bright with his wife and young daughter, calling the trip “absolutely the best way to escape this heat.”
The weather changed suddenly even as the family arrived at the beach: Mr. Riofrio said his car’s temperature gauge had read 100 degrees, but it felt dramatically cooler as a strong wind blew in from the Atlantic Ocean.
“It has been so incredibly hot, then the wind comes at us and it feels like we have a feeling of cold,” Mr Riofrio said. “I think we can expect a lot more volatility in weather patterns from now on.”
John Forsman, captain of Sea Bright’s lifeguard team, said beachgoers should be careful when swimming in the sea as it can be dangerous even in optimal weather.
“Mud currents are real and beach erosion has worn away the sandbars that helped swimmers in the past,” said Forsman, 26, of nearby Little Silver.
“This heatwave has definitely brought more people to the beach than normal,” he added. “But they really need to understand that when you’re swimming in the ocean, you need to know your capabilities and know your limits.”
