Thunderstorms are expected to break the heat wave that’s stifled the tri-state area for much of the week, though not before regional temperatures suffocate residents with high humidity and temperatures in the mid-90s for a third straight day.

A heat advisory remains in effect until 7 p.m. Friday for the five boroughs and much of New Jersey. Though temperatures aren’t expected to exceed the lower to mid-90s, the humidity will make it feel more like 100 degrees.

The National Weather Service is calling for heavy rain later in the day. Some of the storms are expected to be severe, so tri-staters are advised to take appropriate precautions. The weekend is expected to bring relief from the heat and humidity.

Record highs were recorded Wednesday at John F. Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark International Airports. The pavement sizzled outdoors and utilities, facing scattered outages due to high usage by New Yorkers desperate to cool down, asked customers to conserve power inside.

(Source: NBC New York)