A heat wave that could shatter records before the week is over began baking the Big Apple yesterday, tying the old mark of 101 degrees.
And 101 is only the “official” reading from JFK — one thermometer at Yankee Stadium hit 110 yesterday.
“It’s scorching out here,” said Jill Moriss, 26, of Bushwick, who went to the beach at Coney Island yesterday in a failed bid to beat the heat.
“You can’t stay on the sand for more than a minute without burning your skin.”
It’s expected to get so hot that Mayor Bloomberg announced the opening of 100 cooling centers tomorrow. Information on locations is available by dialing 311.
There will also be portable water fountains throughout the city until Labor Day, the mayor said.
Staying cool will be key because the heat is only going to get worse from here on out. For today, tomorrow and Wednesday the conservative forecast calls for temperatures to top 98 degrees.
But it could be worse. AccuWeather meteorologist Tom Kines warned that the July 5 record, also 101 degrees, is in jeopardy.
“There’s a potential for some records this week,” he said.
The most likely day for a record high is tomorrow; the top temp on record for July 6 is “just” 98 degrees.
Additional reporting by Sally Goldenberg