Hot and Hotter

Boy, it was really hot on Wednesday.

How hot was it?

"This reminds me of Tennessee," said New England Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski.

Gostkowski was on hand at Vernon Center Middle School to promote the Fuel Up to Play 60 program, a joint effort between the NFL, the dairy industry and the federal Agriculture Department.

He had on his No. 3 game jersey over a golf shirt and commented on the temperature, which was in the 90s. He likened the heat and humidity to Memphis, where he went to college.

Part of the middle school is air-conditioned, like classrooms, but sections of the building, particularly near the cafeteria and auditorium, are not. So doors were open to promote air circulation.

And it is supposed to hit 100 today. That is five degrees more than what is forecast for Las Vegas.

Parts of Rockville High School are also air conditioned and Center Road School is air conditioned. But that is it.

Superintendent of Schools Mary Conway said the buildings stay "cooler than you think'' for most of the school day but that does not mean steps are not taken to keep students cool.

One thing she emphasizes is water breaks, whether at fountains or with water bottles on desks.

"You have to drink water at school,'' she said. "You have to drink even before you feel thirsty.''


The state Department of Environmental Protection said that high pressure centered off the southeastern United States will continue to allow for a combination of sunny skies, hot temperatures and southwest surface winds to persist over Connecticut through Thursday. 

The combination of heat and southwest winds will produce ideal conditions for ozone formation and transport of elevated levels of ozone into Connecticut, the DE said  The conditions will persist until Thursday night when an approaching cold front will trigger late day thunderstorms and cooler air, thus reducing ground-level ozone by Friday.
 
When intense sunlight, combined with high temperatures, react with NOx and VOC’s, ground-level ozone pollution is produced.

The DEP said that actions to Improve air quality include:
 
• Avoid mowing lawns with gasoline powered mowers.

• Carpool and/or take public transportation, when possible.

• Avoid refueling vehicles until after dusk.

• Conserve electricity and set air conditioners to 78 degrees.