The calendar says it’s May — but Mother Nature says it’s summer.
Today is bringing the Big Apple an unseasonable burst of heat that’s expected to match the record of 87 degrees set at Central Park in 2001.
“We’re calling for a tie of 87 degrees,” AccuWeather.com meteorologist John Feerick said yesterday. “There’s a lot of sunshine. It will be a very nice, summerlike day.”
The average high for May 1 is 66 degrees.
But if you plan to enjoy the sudden gift of summer by heading to a city beach, remember that swimming is banned until the Memorial Day weekend, when lifeguards go on duty, a Parks Department spokeswoman said.
Tomorrow’s forecast calls for a day similar to today, with a high of 87, “but there are more clouds, and the humidity is a little higher,” Feerick said.
“There could be a late-afternoon thunderstorm, but the better chance for a thunderstorm is Sunday night.”
Yesterday, New Yorkers basked in the sun in Central Park and eagerly made plans for today.
“The weather is going to be amazing,” said Kristen Hayes, 23, a graduate student who lives on the Upper West Side. “I plan to be enjoying the sun here in Central Park and catching up on some homework.”
Joseph Gerard, 25, of Chelsea, a graphic-arts designer, said he’d take advantage of the beautiful weather “before it gets cold again.”
“I have some friends going to the beach tomorrow,” he said. “I’m still thinking of joining them, but I most likely will hang out at Hudson River Park with my sketch pad and catch up on some drawing.”
Monday’s forecast calls for a high of 78 degrees, and there will be a “couple of showers and a thunderstorm around during the day” with “some breaks of sunshine,” Feerick said.