NYC Heat Indexes May Hit Record Levels This Week

High temperatures on Wednesday and Thursday will challenge all-time records in New York City, with heat indexes expected to top 100 degrees. In response, the National Weather Service is considering the issuance of a heat advisory for those afternoons.

"Depending on the severity, the City may open cooling centers, increase outreach to the homeless and other at-risk populations, or issue excavation safety alerts for contractors working with underground infrastructure," according to the NYC Office of Emergency Management website.

The site warns against randomly opening fire hydrants to cool off, as it can waste up to 1,000 gallons of water per minute.

For information on how to open hydrants legally, read .

The OEM site does, however, offer the following suggestions for conserving water and electrical energy in an effort to avoid shortages and brown-outs:

• Repair leaky faucets; turn taps off tightly.
• Take short showers; only fill bathtubs halfway when taking a bath.
• Run dishwasher and washing machines only when they are full.
• Do not let water run while washing dishes, shaving or brushing your teeth.
• Observe restrictions on watering your lawn or plants
• Set your air conditioner thermostat no lower than 78 degrees — a 75-degree setting uses 18 percent more electricity and a 72-degree setting uses 39 percent more electricity. This setting allows for sufficient cooling while still conserving electric power.
• Only use an air conditioner when you are home. If you want to cool your room down before you arrive home, set a timer to have it switch on no more than one-half hour before you arrive
• Turn off all nonessential appliances.
• Turn off lights in unoccupied rooms.
• Only use appliances that have heavy electrical loads (dishwashers, washers, dryers) early in the morning or very late at night.

For other ways to stay cool indoors, read this .

For pet owners, the ASPCA has a list of ways to keep your furry friends safe and comfortable during the summer months.

What's your best tip for staying cool in the summer heat? Share it with your neighbors in the comments section below!