The second heat wave of 2011 will get cranking, with temperatures nearing 90 degrees and likely staying there for the rest of the week.

It now looks like temperatures will be 90 degrees or better for the remaining four days this week, with heat index values over 100 degrees on Wednesday and Thursday. Meteorologists are expecting record highs to be broken across the tri-state on both days.

As any public health expert can tell you, it’s not necessarily the high temperatures during a heat wave that are the most dangerous — it’s the abnormally elevated LOW temperatures. Without a chance to recover at night, there’s considerably more stress is placed on the body, potentially leading to heat stroke or death.

On Wednesday night, temperatures will bottom out at around 80 degrees in the city — marking the height of danger for this week’s heat wave. Thursday will be the hottest day of the year so far, with the mercury reaching 97 degrees.

(Source: WSJ)