Some New York Residents Claim Heat Wave ‘Not That Bad' as Air Quality Remains Poor

NEW YORK (Sputnik) - A heat wave accompanied by high humidity has hit New York City, prompting local authorities to issue heat warnings; however, some residents told Sputnik the situation is "not that bad" while expressing concern about the continuously poor air quality.

The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning for New York City from Thursday morning until Friday night. The heat indices were predicted to rise up to 108 degrees Fahrenheit on Friday afternoon and the high temperatures were predicted to last until Sunday.

"The situation regarding the high temperatures is really not that bad. Many people are strolling in Manhattan and going about their business enjoying the day. However, the situation is made worse by the continuously poor air quality, with residue from the wildfires in Canada," a Manhattan resident told Sputnik.

The resident, who lives in the lower east side of the city overseeing the East River, said she and her husband have not noticed any issues.

"Access to water and other necessities is normal," she said.

The resident pointed out that her family, who lives in the borough of Queens, said they feel the same about the weather and also about the poor air quality.

Nevertheless, the weather is hot and they are coping by "drinking a lot of water and eating ice cream," she said.

A visitor from Washington, DC, who arrived in New York City shortly after noon on Friday, told Sputnik that she was surprised that the weather did not feel as hot as she expected it to be. "There is a nice breeze and some clouds. A lot of people are out. I did not see signs of heat exhaustion," she said, noting that the weather was in the 90s.