I tell her we get it that bad and MUCH WORSE here in the San Fernando Valley.

It's primarily tarmac, right? Too hot - the tarmac will start going soft and it will become dangerous to land a large plane.

Haele

there *are* airports in hotter places year-round...

A lot depends on what type of asphalt is used on the runway and how long the temperature range is going to be over 100, and how much traffic it can take before the force and weight of the planes start chewing up a runway that is in the process of softening up in the heat because they might have used a tarmac formulation that handles more freezing and sea-corrosion. A formulation that might not hold up to long term high heat the same way Houston's runway would.

That's why I asked.
JFK is high usage, and built to handle "typical NYC weather" year round. This isn't looking to be typical NYC weather.

Haele

Airports in hotter regions have longer runways due to the fact that when air temperature rises the air becomes less dense and creates less lift.

I think that the mix they use prevents the Tarmac from becoming too soft... http://www.panynj.gov/air-cargo/jfk-runways.html

Yesterday was only the second really hot day we've had this year and normally its unbearable after the 4th of July. I'm outside a lot throughout the day and really take notice of the heat, what with the chemo drugs and all the other medications (heat really drains me).

It was so hot. It's even worse now. Talked to my son yesterday and he said the heat was really bad. At least it rained some when we were there. That cooled things down for about 5 minutes.

We came back to 63 degree weather. I'm not complaining.