At 94 degrees, Boston sets summertime high

By Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff, and Michaela Stanelun and Vivian Nereim, Globe Correspondents

The temperature cracked 94 degrees late this afternoon in Boston, confirming what the sweat-drenched and sun-burnt could have said hours ago: This is the hottest day of the summer.

(Bill Greene/Globe Staff)

Towels and wash cloths became needed fashion accessories to mop up sweat. Fountains filled with children trying to keep cool. And at the Franklin Park Zoo, lions and tigers slurped on blood popsicles.

"Even in the shade, it doesn't feel like the shade," said Ellie Ellerman of Lexington as she tried to keep her 2-month-old baby out of the sun in the Public Garden.

The official high came at 3:18 p.m. at Logan International Airport, according to the National Weather Service. The inhospitable August heat will keep its oppressive grip on New England for the next few days with more stifling temperatures and sticky humidity ahead.

New England used more electricity today than any day of the year so far, but even more usage is expected tomorrow, said Erin O'Brien, a spokeswoman for ISO New England, which runs the region's energy grid. "We don't anticipate taking special steps'' to avoid outages, she said.

The state Department of Environmental Protection issued an unhealthy air quality alert, urging sensitive populations such as the elderly, small children, and people with health problems to take care to stay inside and avoid strenuous activity.

James Price did his best to heed that advice as he draped a cool wash cloth over his head and as he relaxed on the steps of the Church of the Covenant on Newbury Street. "The air gets too dense, it's hard to breathe," said Price, a South End resident who has hypertension.