Temperatures were likely to soar to around 100 in Washington, New York and other cities along the East Coast, as well on the southern Plains, with readings in the 90s elsewhere. Before the sun was high in the sky, New York's Central Park hit 88 degrees at 11 a.m. and parts of upstate New York were already at 90. "I'm ready for the wrath of nature," Gary Waxman said as he fortified himself with towels and extra T-shirts Tuesday morning at his newsstand in suburban White Plains.