Cooling centers in New York City will open on Tuesday and remain open until at least Friday as a likely heat wave settles over the New York metro area, according to city officials.
Officials said the heat index, or what the air temperature feels like when combined with humidity, could reach 100 degrees in the coming days. Zachary Iscol, the city’s emergency management commissioner, called that level “dangerously high” — and potentially deadly.
“The cumulative effect of prolonged heat can be especially dangerous as the body’s ability to regulate temperature becomes increasingly strained,” he said at a press briefing on Monday. “In fact, extreme heat is the most dangerous weather phenomenon we have in New York City. We lose over 350 New Yorkers a year on average to heat.”
Iscol and other city officials urged New Yorkers to make use of the city’s newly expanded network of cooling centers, especially if they lack home air conditioning. The sites are located at community centers, libraries and NYCHA facilities and were expanded this year to include cultural institutions and elected officials’ offices.
New Yorkers can find an official map of the cooling centers, including pet-friendly ones, and other heat tips from the city here. They can also call 311 to find their nearest cooling center.
Iscol pointed out that people could take refuge from the heat at the homes of friends, family members or neighbors who have AC. He called on residents to check on their neighbors, particularly older adults, those with physical and mental health issues and people who live alone, who are at higher risk of heat-related illness.
Ashwin Vasan, the city’s health commissioner, said New Yorkers should stay on guard overnight and even after Friday because residual heat stress could lead to health issues for some. Signs of heat stroke include hot, dry skin or cold, clammy skin, confusion and disorientation, nausea and vomiting, trouble breathing, rapid heartbeat, dizziness and fatigue, according to Vasan, who said people should call 911 if they experience these symptoms.
New York City’s last heat wave took place from Sept. 5 to 8 last year, the emergency management agency said. The city’s longest heat wave happened in 1953, from Aug. 24 to Sept. 4, per the agency.
Mayor Eric Adams said at the press briefing that residents should anticipate more extreme heat events in the future due to climate change and the fact that summer is just beginning.
“We want to be clear, this is extremely hot for June, and New Yorkers should not underestimate the heat,” he said. “With climate change leading to more frequent and intense heat, summers are different than they were before, and so we should expect and be prepared for the hot weather that is coming.”
“If this is any indication, we’re just starting out the summer months, we could only expect even more as the summer continues to move forward,” added Adams. “That is why it’s important to get into good habits now.”
The city will distribute thousands of “cool kits” containing essential heat safety items to delivery and other outdoor workers, according to the mayor. He said officials are also monitoring air quality after smoke from wildfires in Canada descended on the city last summer.
The city's beaches are set to remain open during the heat wave, but officials said outdoor public pools would not open before their scheduled June 27 opening date due to necessary preparations.
"There's a lot that goes into filling the pools, making sure the filtration systems work and making sure they're adequately staffed," Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi said later on Monday at Adams' weekly press conference.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the deployment of state resources on Monday, ahead of what her office said would be “record-setting extreme heat.” That includes 50 members of the National Guard to provide assistance as needed, and state-run cooling centers throughout New York.
This story has been updated with additional information. Elizabeth Kim contributed reporting.
