NYC Activates Emergency Plan As 'Dangerously High' Heat Approaches

NEW YORK CITY — A days long “extreme heat weather event” is coming to New York City starting Tuesday, and city officials are preparing to activate emergency measures to keep city dwellers safe.

“The first heat wave of the season is here, [and] we are ready,” Mayor Eric Adams said at a news briefing Monday morning moments before announcing Tuesday's opening of city cooling centers. Temperatures will begin in the low 90s on Tuesday and Wednesday before the mercury hits up to a projected 99 degrees on Thursday and Friday.

Temperatures are expected to peak between noon and 8 p.m. daily, though evenings will hold little relief with projected temperatures still in the 70s. A heat advisory is expected to be issued Thursday and Friday by the National Weather Service, Adams added.

The city's heat emergency plan is expected to be activated by 11 a.m. Monday morning. Read more: Heat Wave Hits NYC This Week, Temps Expected Above 90 Degrees

The forecast temperatures for the Big Apple for the next few days are are "dangerously high," NYC Emergency Management Commissioner Zachary Iscol said Monday. In fact, extreme heat is the "most dangerous" weather phenomenon in New York City, he said, with about 350 New Yorkers dying prematurely each year due to extreme heat conditions.

Here is the latest briefing for the upcoming hot and humid conditions this week. As always continue to check https://t.co/0cofXEIttP for all the details and updates. pic.twitter.com/S9RNh4wgcF
— NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) June 16, 2024

News of the expected heat wave coming to the Big Apple comes as heat records over 110 degrees were broken in California and Nevada earlier this month.

New Yorkers without in-home air conditioning units can take advantage of an expanded number of cooling centers since last year. Some of those centers are pet-friendly, officials added. You can find a cooling center near you here.

Those with in-home air conditioning may require cooling centers should a power outage happen, officials noted.

"We all need to adopt a balanced approach to energy use," Iscol said, adding that "NYCEM and Con Ed are working in close coordination to monitor the city's energy supply." New Yorkers are urged to postpone "non-essential" energy use, such as doing laundry or using other utilities, through the end of the week.

While public outdoor pools have yet to open (that date is set for June 27), public beaches will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Adams said. Spray caps for fire hydrants will also be available upon request from local firehouses.

The air quality may also be unhealthy for sensitive groups, including those with breathing problems and older adults. Those New Yorkers are encouraged to limit time spent outside over the next few days, Adams said. You can check real time air quality information here.

In his remarks, Adams noted that similar record-challenging heat is expected in New York throughout the summer.

“We can only expect even more as the summer continues to move forward,” he said. “This is extremely hot for June, New York should not underestimate the heat. With climate change leading to more frequent and intense heat, summers are different than they were before.”