NYC, Northeast Face Sweltering Heat as World Cup Matches Begin

Hot weather will settle over New York and the US Northeast through the end of the week, bringing temperatures in the 90s to several cities hosting FIFA World Cup matches this weekend.

Temperatures in New York are forecast to rise to 91F (33C) Thursday and 92F Friday in Manhattan’s Central Park, with humidity making it feel closer to 100F, according to the National Weather Service. A heat advisory is in effect across much of the Northeast on both days, and elevated temperatures are expected to persist through the weekend.

Across the eastern US, as many as 46 daily high-temperature records could be tied or broken, the US Weather Prediction Center said. Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia may all set new highs for the date on Friday.

“The worst is definitely Thursday and Friday for the Northeast,” said Bob Oravec, a senior branch forecaster with the US Weather Prediction Center. “It looks like summer is here.”

The rising temperatures are expected to boost electricity demand as homes and businesses crank up air conditioners. They also arrive as World Cup matches begin in New Jersey and Massachusetts on Saturday and in Philadelphia on Sunday. High temperatures can cause rails to expand and overhead power lines to sag, slowing commuter and Amtrak trains throughout the region.

Brazil will take on Morocco at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Saturday, where temperatures are forecast to reach the 90s during the day before falling into the 70s overnight. Haiti is scheduled to play Scotland at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts , where readings will approach 90 before easing into the 70s overnight. Though both games are scheduled for the early evening, conditions will still be fairly hot, Oravec said.

Meanwhile, thunderstorms, tornadoes and hail threatens parts of the central US, including Chicago, on Wednesday, raising transportation risks and the possibility of power outages. There is an enhanced, or level 3, risk of severe thunderstorms across seven Midwestern states Wednesday, the US Storm Prediction Center said.