The Big Apple will wilt under “oppressive heat and humidity” through Saturday, according to the National Weather Service office in New York City.
On Thursday and Friday, the heat index is expected to be 103 to 106 degrees Fahrenheit across much of the city and northeast New Jersey. New York City is under an excessive heat warning from Thursday to Saturday, marking the first such heat warning in the city in almost two years, New York City Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol said during a press conference Thursday.
The region could also see strong to severe storms and localized flash flooding on Thursday afternoon into the evening.
The weather service said the heat and humidity will “significantly increase” the potential for heat-related illnesses.
“Let’s be clear: heat can kill. This is dangerous. Take precautions,” Mayor Eric Adams said in a tweet.
He said cooling centers are open throughout the city, advising residents to stay out of the sun and check in on elderly neighbors.
Heat-caused deaths are the leading cause of extreme weather-related deaths in the city, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said. He also emphasized the importance of protecting Black New Yorkers from the heat, saying Black people are twice as likely to die from heat-related causes than white New Yorkers.
While particular attention should be placed on the elderly, kids, and people with disabilities, all New Yorkers should avoid the sun during peak hours, drink plenty of water and rest, Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan advised that residents:
- Pay attention to the elderly, kids and people with disabilities.
- Avoid the sun during peak hours, drink plenty of water and rest.
- Turn on air conditioning in their homes or find an indoor facility that does so, as more than 80% of heatstroke deaths in recent years have been people who were in situations of extreme heat inside their homes and often had pre-existing conditions
The heatwave will not be an isolated climate event, as New York City will increasingly experience extreme weather situations, the mayor said.
“It’s really a climate disaster that we’re seeing firsthand across the globe,” Adams said.
