The oppressive heat wave that settled over the Tri-state area for the past seven days has ended.

Temperatures are returning to normal Sunday, with highs in the mid 80’s, and the humidity will be lower.

For about 20 minutes on Saturday, showers in Brooklyn provided a fresh relief from the summer heat.

The break in the heat comes after Con Ed reported a new power usage record Friday as excessive heat sent temperatures soaring to dangerous levels in the New York City area.

The heat index at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City hit 107 degrees at 1 p.m. Friday, the highest mark during the six-day heat wave. Newark reached 100 degrees for the second day in a row, tying a record on Friday set in 1999 and 1977.

Power usage in New York City hit a new record high between 1 and 2 p.m. on Friday, Con Edison said. Usage reached a peak of 13,214 megawatts (MW). The previous all-time peak record was 13,189 MW set on July 22, 2011.

For the most part, the power problems have been kept to a minimum. Con Ed’s crews have been working 12-hour shifts to bring power back to customers who have lost power.

The Health Department is urging New Yorkers to take precautions to prevent serious illness that can result from the heat, especially among vulnerable individuals, such as seniors and those with chronic health problems or mental disability. If someone you know is unconscious or unresponsive, call 911 immediately.

From 2006 to 2012, more than 100 New Yorkers died from heat, and more than 80 percent of heat-related deaths in recent years occurred in homes without air conditioning. In addition, excessive heat can contribute to many additional deaths for chronic disease, such as heart disease and chronic lung disease. On average, an estimated additional 100 deaths of this type occur per summer from heat waves.

(Source: WCBSTV)