ALBANY COUNTY — The hot and humid air that led to the eastern half of Albany County being placed under a heat advisory on Tuesday and Wednesday is to dissipate by the weekend.

But the second heat wave this summer portends more to come, according to a state report on extreme heat.

The feel-like temperatures in the Hudson Valley had ranged from the upper 90s to the low 100s, with Albany at 97 degrees on Tuesday.

The state extended hours for swimming and cooling facilities during the heat wave including at Thompson’s Lake in Thacher State Park where swimming was extended until 7 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. 

The governor’s office advised New Yorkers to check airnow.gov for accurate information on air quality forecasts and conditions.

“Extreme heat is severely affecting the health and well-being of New Yorkers across the state and is the leading cause of death among hazardous weather events in the United States, according to the National Weather Service,” the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation warns.

“Climate change is increasing the severity, duration, and frequency of extreme heat events in New York State, which in turn causes more severe heat-related impacts,” the DEC says.

By the 2050s, New York City is expected to experience approximately 30 to 46 days annually with the heat index reaching 95°F or above, compared to an average of six such days per year between 1981 and 2010, says a state report on extreme heat.

By contrast, in the Saint Lawrence Valley, one of New York state’s regions that currently experiences extreme heat events infrequently, such events are expected to become common, with approximately three to eight annual heat waves projected to occur by the 2080s, the report says.

The state’s health department outlines precautions for New Yorkers to take when dealing with extreme heat, ranging from keeping kids out of hot cars and going to cooling centers if there is no air-conditioning at home. Eligible households can get a cooling assistance benefit to buy and install an air conditioner.

The health department says that using a fan can be more harmful than helpful when indoor air is hotter than your body temperature and that, while it is important to stay hydrated, alcohol, caffeine, and sugary drinks should be avoided.

The department has launched a new tool to help New Yorkers understand their risk from extreme heat. The Heat Risk and Illness Dashboard uses real-time data points to help communities and decision-makers like school officials and employers to guide heat-related planning, such as adjusting outdoor activities or opening cooling centers.

The governor this week announced the launch of the New York State Insurance Fund’s new Extreme Heat Equipment Credit to help qualifying small businesses protect their workers through the purchase of supplies designed to minimize the effects of heat exposure.

With 2024 being the hottest year on record, the governor’s office said, and each year between 2015 and 2024 ranking among the 10 hottest years on record, rising temperatures have become a critical occupational hazard for many industries.

Extreme heat can lead to heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion and can exacerbate preexisting conditions such as asthma, kidney disease, or heart disease. Exposure to extreme heat can also impair cognitive and motor functions, increasing the risk of on-the-job accidents.

The Extreme Heat Equipment Credit is available to small businesses — up to 10 employees — in manufacturing, warehousing, carpentry, landscaping, and farming, industries where workers are often exposed to extreme temperatures. These businesses can receive a one-time credit of $1,000 or 10 percent of their annual workers’ compensation premium, whichever is less.

Cool ahead

On Thursday, the National Weather Service forecast says, a cold front will settle just south of Albany with the “latest guidance hinting at a wave of low pressure tracking along the front then off the mid-Atlantic and Northeast coast by early Friday.”

There could be moderate to heavy rain and some thunderstorms across parts of the area, the weather service says.

“At this time,” the weather service predicted on Tuesday evening, “the greatest rainfall potential looks to be for areas south of Albany with lesser rainfall amounts farther north. We are currently forecasting 1 to 3 inches of rain from the Capital Region.”

As the system departs on Friday, clouds and showers may linger. After that, “a large area of high pressure builds into the region bringing a period of dry and less humid weather which should last into early next week,” the weather service says, predicting daytime temperatures in the 70s and nighttime temperatures in the 50s.