New York City has recorded its hottest temperature in 13 years after a thermometer at Central Park peaked at over 37.2 degrees Celsius on Tuesday afternoon, with officials warning residents to take precautionary measures.

According to the New York Times, it was the first time the city’s temperature had risen to such a level since July 18, 2012. The last time the park reached 98 degrees Celsius was June 30, 2021.

“Know your cool options, whether it’s your own home.. a mall, a library, a museum or an official city cooling centre,” New York Mayor Eric Adams warned on Monday. “Consider taking care of tasks that require you to be outdoors… during off-peak hours when the sun is not as intense.”

Bryan Ramsey, a meteorologist at the New York office of the National Weather Service, predicted that the temperature in Central Park could reach as high as 102 degrees Celsius on Tuesday.

The hottest temperature ever recorded in Central Park was 106 degrees Celsius on July 9, 1936.

Meanwhile, the temperature is expected to rise in more states in the U.S., including Philadelphia, Boston, Baltimore, Memphis, Atlanta, Dallas, Indianapolis and others.

New York’s leading primary electricity provider, Con Edison, has urged residents to limit their power usage as scorching heat pushes its power grid to the limit, sparking outages across the Tri-State area.

“We have multiple networks across our grid, and conservation helps reduce stress within each one. By working with all our customers to cut usage during peak demand, we protect the system and support neighbourhoods individually,” Con Edison said in a statement on Tuesday.

“We’re committed to keeping everyone safe and comfortable during the region’s hottest days!.”