A total of 18 people have died due to a prolonged period of extreme cold weather in New York City, with Mayor Eric Adams confirming the tragic losses.
Since late January, the city has faced a cold snap characterized by 13 consecutive days of temperatures at or below 0°C (32°F) — one of the longest such spells in six decades.
This past weekend, the city recorded yet another casualty, sparking concerns about the safety of vulnerable populations. City Council member Zohran Mamdani expressed condolences, stating, Each life lost is a tragedy, and we will continue to hold their families in our thoughts. He urged residents to stay indoors and look out for one another during this unusually cold spell.
As a response to the dangerous weather, the city announced a Code Blue emergency on January 19, which enabled a more flexible intake policy for homeless shelters. Since then, approximately 1,400 individuals have been placed into shelters, with additional efforts including 64 more hotel accommodations and over 150 outreach workers deployed to assist those in need.
Of the deceased, Mamdani noted that at least ten were found outdoors, while the circumstances surrounding other fatalities remain unclear. The mayor underscored the commitment to ensuring public safety moving forward, despite weather forecasts indicating temperatures would not rise significantly above freezing in the near future.
The US National Weather Service has reported that temperatures will remain around 0°C throughout the week, with a high likelihood of continued wind chills that pose risks of hypothermia and frostbite.
As the cold weather persists, the city’s Emergency Management agency has cautioned that the danger is not over yet: melting snow and ice could fall from buildings unexpectedly, and streets may become treacherously slick as nighttime temperatures drop.
Efforts to provide shelter and resources to those in need are ongoing as New Yorkers brace for what is expected to be a challenging week ahead.
