Albany: New York City (NYC) has reported 18 deaths linked to a prolonged period of extreme cold, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.
Since late January, the city has endured a cold snap that included 13 consecutive days with temperatures at or below 0°C (32°F), one of the longest stretches of sub-zero weather the city has experienced in six decades.
Over the weekend, another person lost their life on the streets of our city, Mamdani said, adding that, “Each life lost is a tragedy, and we will continue to hold their families in our thoughts.” While temperatures are expected to rise slightly this week, they remain below average. Mamdani urged residents to stay safe, stay indoors and keep looking out for one another.
Since January 19, when a Code Blue emergency was declared to relax intake policies at homeless shelters, around 1,400 individuals have been placed into shelters. The city also added 64 hotel rooms to its shelter capacity and deployed at least 150 outreach workers on the streets.
On January 27, the mayor noted that at least 10 of the fatalities occurred outdoors, while the circumstances of the remaining deaths are still under investigation. The US National Weather Service (NWS) said temperatures are expected to reach around 0°C for most of the week, following persistent freezing conditions. Highs at this time of year are normally closer to 4°C.
An Arctic airmass brought hazardous sub-zero wind chills, the temperature it feels like rather than the actual temperature over the weekend, increasing the risk of hypothermia and frostbite.
The 13-day streak of sub-zero temperatures, one of the longest for New York City since 1963 ended after temperatures briefly rose above freezing.
NYC’s Emergency Management agency cautioned that the days following extreme cold and snowfall continue to pose safety risks. Melting snow and ice may fall from buildings unexpectedly, and streets and pavements could refreeze overnight, creating dangerous conditions for residents.
POPULAR | SpaceX shifts focus to lunar city; Mars mission delayed
