With an extreme heat alert in effect, Torontonians are looking for ways to beat the heat.

On Wednesday the city broke a 57-year-old heat record. The temperature hit 36.3 C, topping the 36.1 C record from 1955 — and it's going to feel even hotter.

It's not likely any records will tumble on Thursday, but it's still going to be hot.

"It's going to be a scorcher," said Johanna Wagstaffe.

The CBC meteorologist said Wednesday's record high, combined with the humidty made it feel like 45 C.

"You will notice a little bit of relief today [Thursday] — we're talking 32 degrees instead of 36, feeling like 35 instead of 45, with the humidity — so that is relief for some people."

It's going to feel close to 50 C

But, Wagstaffe says, enjoy it while you can.

"Tomorrow [Friday] it's back in full force. I think we'll get up to the mid-30s once again - and we're talking dangerous heat. I expect the extreme heat alert will still be in place and humidex advisories re-issued. It's going to feel close to 50 C [on Friday] ... it's going to be all sunshine as well and that's just going to add to how oppressive it feels outside."

The city has sent out an advisory asking people to "call or visit family, friends and neighbours, especially isolated adults and seniors who are at greater risk of suffering from heat-related illness, to make sure they are okay."

Dr. Howard Shapiro, Toronto's associate medical officer of health, says drinking water helps.

"It's important to keep drinking a fair amount and not wait until you get thirsty," he said.

At greatest risk are people with breathing problems.

City swimming pools open late

The extreme heat alert means city cooling centres are open for people who need them — and pool hours will be extended at eight city-run swimming pools during the heat wave.

"It's very nice to swim at this time. You can just cool down," said one man taking advantage of the longer hours at the Alexandra Park pool.

"I just installed my air conditioner — but not properly," said another woman at poolside. "So instead of electrocuting myself I've decided to come for a swim to cool off."

Elizabeth Modeen says sitting in the shade, beside a fountainside is her way of cooling down.

"Listening to water, you don't think of the heat. We should have more water around," she said.

The forecast says the heat wave will probably stick around until next week.

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  • People take in the sun at Sugar Beach in Toronto on Wednesday, July 4, 2012.

  • A woman and her dog cool off in a pond in Montreal on Wednesday, June 20, 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

  • Indian youths play in the River Ganges as they try to beat the heat in Allahabad, India, Thursday, June 21, 2012. Northern India has been experiencing severe hot weather with maximum temperatures touching around 45 degrees Celsius in some areas. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

  • People cool down in the water sprinklers at Dundas Square as they take in the extreme heat in Toronto on Tuesday, June 19, 2012. Environment Canada has issues a heat alert for the next few day in Southern Ontario and Toronto. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

  • Four-year-old Solaris Arias, of Providence, R.I., right, jumps through water spraying from an open fire hydrant in Providence, Wednesday, June 20, 2012. Much of the state remained under a heat advisory Tuesday afternoon because of the steamy air mass that has moved into the region resulting in temperatures in the 90s (F). (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

  • A woman cools down in the water sprinklers at Dundas Square in Toronto on Tuesday, June 19, 2012. Environment Canada has issues a heat alert for the next few day in Southern Ontario and Toronto. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)

  • Michaela Blankenship, age 9, jumps into a pool in her family's front yard as she tries to beat a summer solstice heat wave in Baltimore, Wednesday, June 20, 2012. Also pictured are neighbors Dylan Vaden, from left, Devin Vaden and Jon Morris. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

  • An Indian youth swims in the Dhansari river as she cools off during a hot summer day in Dimapur, India's northeastern state of Nagaland, on May 19, 2012. Many parts of India are experiencing a heat wave as temperatures rise with the onset of summer. STRDEL/AFP/GettyImages

  • A Bengal tiger is hosed by a spray of water from a zookeeper on a hot summer day at the Birsa Munda Zoological Park in Ranchi on May 30, 2012. Zoo authorities are helping the animals cope with temperatures in excess of 40 degrees Celsius by providing coolers, special roofs and regular hose-downs. STRDEL/AFP/GettyImages

  • An Indian boy bathes under a water pipe in a canal to cool off on a hot day in Allahabad on May 17, 2012. Temperatures soared in Allahabad to a maximum temperature of 45.5 Celsius (114 Fahrenheit). STRDEL/AFP/GettyImages

  • An elephant sprays water on itself on a hot summer day in Allahabad, India, Monday, June 18, 2012. Northern India has been sweltering under extreme heat as maximum temperatures hovered around 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) in some areas. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

  • An Indian mahout bathes his elephant on a hot summer day in Allahabad, India, Monday, June 18, 2012. Northern India has been sweltering under extreme heat as maximum temperatures hovered around 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) in some areas. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

  • A man submerges himself in water to cool off on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, India, Saturday, May 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Biswaranjan Rout)

  • A dog wears sunglasses on a hot spring day in Madrid, on June 6, 2012. DOMINIQUE FAGET/AFP/GettyImages

  • A squirrel runs past Londoners enjoying the warm weather in Saint James Park in central London on May 29, 2012. MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP/GettyImages

  • US President Barack Obama dabs perspiration from his brow on a hot day, before placing a wreath at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial for ceremonies to commemorate the Vietnam War's 50th anniversary on Memorial Day May 28, 2012 in Washington, DC. Memorial Day is observed in remembrance for those died while serving in the US military. MANDEL NGAN/AFP/GettyImages

  • A rhesus macaque eats watermelon, provided by zookeepers to help the monkeys deal with hot summer temperatures, at the Kamla Nehru Zoological Gardens in Ahmedabad on May 18, 2012. The rhesus monkey (macaca mulatta) is native to northern India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Burma, Thailand, Afghanistan and southern China. AFP PHOTO / Sam PANTHAKY

  • Pakistani youths cool off in a polluted canal during a hot day in Rawalpindi May 11, 2012. Heat-wave conditions in Pakistan brought a high of 41 degrees celsius in some parts of the country. FAROOQ NAEEM/AFP/GettyImages

  • Boys cool off in a fountain outside the Donbass Arena stadium, in Donetsk, Ukraine, Thursday, June 14, 2012. Hot weather has set in with temperatures rising up to 31 Celsius (89 Fahrenheit) in Donetsk on the eve of the Euro 2012 soccer championship Group D match between France and Ukraine in Donetsk. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

  • A woman wearing a bikini jumps in the Danube river, in Vienna during a hot sunny day on June 19, 2012. ALEXANDER KLEIN/AFP/GettyImages