Temperatures in the Lakewood region have been mostly hot and muggy for several weeks now, but meteorologists and health officials are warning that the next few days will present the most intense – and dangerous – heat wave of the season.
The oppressive heat will last at least through Sunday. However, beginning Wednesday, temperatures will rise to over 100 degrees in the afternoons. On Thursday, temperatures could rise to a smoldering 106 degrees in the Toms River area, the National Weather Service warns.
In such extreme heat, doctors and public health officials urge everyone to stay inside in cool temperatures as much as possible, and to stay hydrated if you must go out. Populations particularly vulnerable to the heat include pregnant women, infants, children, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses.
Heat index, not temperature.