NYC activates Heat Emergency Plan as dangerous heat grips the city

Photos by Stacie Joy

With temperatures expected to reach 100 degrees today and heat index values climbing as high as 112 degrees, NYC officials have activated its Heat Emergency Plan ahead of what could be the hottest day recorded in Central Park since July 18, 2012. 

An Extreme Heat Watch remains in effect citywide through 9 p.m. Saturday. The dangerous heat is expected to continue through the July 4 holiday weekend, with temperatures easing only slightly. 

The city says it is expanding efforts to help New Yorkers stay safe, including: 

• Opening hundreds of cooling centers across the five boroughs. 

• Deploying more than a dozen Cooling Outreach On-Location (COOL) vans to provide water, wellness checks, medical care and transportation to cooling centers or health-care facilities for vulnerable New Yorkers. 

• Expanding pop-up cooling stations with cold water, misting fans and cooling towels for outdoor workers, including street vendors, delivery workers and day laborers. 

• Displaying walking directions to the nearest cooling center on more than 2,200 LinkNYC kiosks citywide. 

Mayor Mamdani urged residents to take the prolonged stretch of extreme heat seriously (so no EVG one-liners here), stay hydrated, limit time outdoors when possible, and check in on neighbors, particularly older adults and others who may be more vulnerable to the heat.

"We're staring down what could be the hottest day New York City has seen in over a decade — and City government is taking historic measures to keep all New Yorkers cool and safe," Mamdani said in a media advisory. "Stay inside, look out for your neighbors, drink plenty of water, and watch out for signs of heat exhaustion such as confusion, nausea, and trouble breathing." 

You can find the nearest cooling center or playground spray showers by calling 311 or using the city's Cooling Center Finder via this link. 

Closer to home, cooling center options are limited, aside from the Tompkins Square and Ottendorfer library branches. Most of the options are for senior residents:

• Polish and Slavic Center, Inc. Older Adult Center 

103 E. Seventh St. 

9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday

• Meltzer Social Club, Older Adult Center

94 E. First St. 

8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday-Friday

 

• Educational Alliance Sirovich, Older Adult Center

331 E. 12th St. 

8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday

• UJCES Lillian Wald OAC Center, Older Adult Center

12 Avenue D

8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday-Friday

• Petco Union Square

Indoor - Cooling Center

44 Union Square Eaast 

9 a.m. to 9 p.m., daily

ConEd officials have also ramped up messaging...

We are mobilizing and activating our Emergency Response Center in advance of extreme heat and potential storms starting Wednesday. Our crews are working 24/7 to respond to any power issues and keep service reliable. Please use energy efficiently to stay safe and comfortable… pic.twitter.com/ZmSO2s3Yxi

— Con Edison (@ConEdison) June 30, 2026

Heat Dome watch now in effect

Photo from Houston at Allen/First Avenue

The Heat Dome is upon us. 

NYC has activated its Heat Emergency Plan for the first time this year as NYC and other parts of the northeast may see record-setting temps in the days ahead as the heat index will top 100°F. 

The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather advisory for the area.

🌞Did you know a heat wave is defined as 3 or more consecutive days of 90°F or higher. (heat index not factored in).
🌞 Last NYC heat wave: Sep 5-8, 2023
🌞The longest NYC heat wave occurred Aug 24-Sep 4, 1953
🌞There has never been a recorded 6+ day heat wave in NYC in June. pic.twitter.com/Q6k6blnu8G

— NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) June 17, 2024

Per the city: 

High heat is a silent killer, posing a disproportionate threat to our most vulnerable residents: adults aged 60 and older, young children, and those with pre-existing health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, mental health conditions, or cognitive impairment. Air conditioning is the best way to stay safe and healthy when it is hot outside, but some people at risk of heat illness do not have or do not turn on an air conditioner. 

The city has a map of outdoor cooling options (including spray showers and drinking fountains) at Cool It! NYC and a Cool Options map. (The cooling centers are open as of today.)

There are just a few local cooling center options, including (the Tompkins Square and Ottendorfer library branches are also options)...

• Polish and Slavic Center, Inc. Older Adult Center 

103 E. Seventh St. 

9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday

• Meltzer Social Club, Older Adult Center

94 E. First St. 

8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday-Friday

 

• Educational Alliance Sirovich, Older Adult Center

331 E. 12th St. 

8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday

Where to find a local cooling center

The city is under an Excessive Heat Warning through 8 tonight. 

According to the National Weather Service, we're facing "dangerously hot conditions with heat index values up to 107." There's also an Excessive Heat Watch for tomorrow. 

The above graphic — via Loisaida Community Fridge — shows three cooling centers in the neighborhood. This map has more locations in the city. 

Meanwhile, the city is asking people to conserve energy, etc. ...

Turn off any appliances that you don't need on right now, turn off lights, and avoid things like running the laundry if you can.

— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) August 12, 2021

We're having a heat wave

[Cooling center at St. Stanislaus on 7th Street]

As you're likely well aware by now, the city is in for a heat wave — featuring oppressive heat and humidity and unbearable "Baked Apple" puns — through the weekend.

As always in situations like this, I cut-n-paste from The Wall Street Journal:

The National Weather Service said it predicts temperatures of up to 101 degrees in some parts of the city on Saturday. It is the first time since 2012 that temperatures in the city have been more than 100 degrees, according to the weather service.

In New York City, a heat wave is declared when the heat index is 95 degrees or higher for two or more consecutive days.

The heat situation here is bad enough that Mayor de Blasio canceled a weekend trip to Iowa and other early primary states as part of his presidential campaign, per the Journal.

Cooling centers are opening citywide. You can find an interactive map here to find one near you...



Nearby options include...

• Campos Plaza
611 E. 13th St.
Open: M - F 8a-11p; Sa - Su 3p-11p

• John Paul II Friendship NSC
103 E. Seventh. St.
Open: M - F 8a-4p

• Jacob Riis Community Center
80 Avenue D
Open: M - F 8a-11p; Sa - Su 3p-11p

• Sirovich Center
331 E. 12th St.
Open: M - F 8a-8p; Sa 9a-3p

• Lillian Wald Houses Senior Center
12 Avenue D
Open: M - F 8a-4p

• Ottendorfer Library
135 Second Ave.
Open: M - Th 11a-7p; F - Sa 10a-5p

In addition, outdoor pool hours are extended to 8 p.m. at all of the city's Olympic- and intermediate-sized outdoor pools today through Sunday. (Around here, that means the Dry Dock Pool on 10th Street and Hamilton Fish Park on Pitt.)


Find the city's heat tips here. Watch a fan video for "Heat Wave" from Bronski Beat's 1984 excellent debut The Age of Consent here.