The St. John’s metro region has just punched the second warmest July on record.

Mother Nature delivered much of the island a heat wave during which the capital city region saw a 30-degree day for the first time in almost a decade, and high humidity that made it feel even hotter.

Rodney Barney, a meteorologist with the Gander weather office, says the average high in July for St. John’s was 23.8 C. That’s just below the average daily record of 25.2 in July 2014, but warmer than all other July numbers since record-keeping began in 1942.

Meteorologist Brendan Sawchuk says the Badger area recorded the highest temperature for the month in the province, cracking 32 degrees on July 24.

He says Terra Nova, Twillingate and Deer Lake were some of the other areas that hit the 30-degree mark.

Meanwhile, a local psychologist is highlighting some of the mental impacts caused by exposure to extreme heat.

Co-president of the Association of Psychology NL, Dr. Janine Hubbard, says Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are not used to the high heat, nor is NL’s infrastructure made for it.

Hubbard explains that places where such heat is common have more air conditioning and ventilation to help cope with it than facilities here.

She says there has been a lot of research done on the psychological effects of heat waves, noting it can result in increased aggression and and even physical violence.

The heat can also make it difficult to sleep, which can affect concentration, memory and energy levels.