A second day in the 90s

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH/AP) — Temperatures pushing into the middle and upper 90s will again bring dangerous heat and sweltering humidity to Connecticut.

"It's gonna be a tough one out there," Storm Team 8 Meteorologist Gil Simmons said.

LINK: Photos; Hot Weather

Air quality alerts remain posted for parts of the state.

The National Weather Service says the heat index will be at or over 100 degrees Thursday, as it was on Wednesday. As of 5:00 a.m. the heat index was already in the 80s across Connecticut.

People are being urged to keep hydrated and take it easy outside. Several cities and towns plan to open cooling centers for their residents.

A record high temperature of 97 degrees was set in Hartford on Wednesday, breaking a record of 96 degrees set in 1995.

At Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, airport officials said the runway reached a surface temperature of 140.5 degrees .

Temperatures in the city could hit 98 degrees on Thursday, with Bridgeport and New Haven reaching 97 and Waterbury at 91 degrees.

Temperatures will fall over the weekend, with high temperatures next week in the 70s.