At least 10 New Yorkers have lost their lives since they were found outdoors amid bitterly cold temperatures in the past few days, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Tuesday.
It’s unclear if they died of hypothermia — the city is awaiting autopsies for confirmation on the causes and manners — but the mayor‘s office says cold weather is believed to have played a role in each of those deaths.
“Code Blue is not enough in a cold this severe,” said Mamdani, who has referred to the impending weather as the coldest the city has seen in eight years. “This is why we are executing new additional protocols.”
Some of those who died had previous interaction with the shelter system, Mamdani said. Outreach efforts have intensified and continue to do so. Hundreds have been placed in shelters. Warming centers are open.
Hospitals are being asked to limit overnight discharges, to let people who have nowhere to go to stay indoors.
“This is an all-hands-on-deck effort,” Mamdani has said.
He drove that point home during his Tuesday press conference:
Weather-related deaths were reported on Long Island and in Verona, New Jersey. NBC News estimates the total from states affected by the cold to be around two dozen.
The weekend winter storm dumped anywhere from 7-15 inches of snow across Long Island, shutting down MacArthur Airport and leaving plenty of work for residents to clear their walks and driveways. Sadly, police said two deaths were linked to the storm. NBC New York’s Greg Cergol reports.
NYC emergency officials warn of ‘life-threatening’ stretch
New York City‘s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is urging New Yorkers to take caution, as it warns of potentially “life-threatening” weather conditions that are set to worsen overnight and last for days.
As the five boroughs dig out from the weekend snowstorm, officials are focusing their attention on the extreme cold settling over the area. OEM says the main concern starts Tuesday night.
After midnight, another surge of Arctic air is expected to arrive. Wind chills will fall below zero, reaching up to 9 degrees below zero by early Wednesday, the agency says. That cold could kill people who are exposed to it for more than a short time, it notes. Cold advisories are in effect across the region.
“Being outside will feel painful. Exposed skin can freeze in minutes,” emergency officials caution. “Waiting for transit, walking, or working outdoors will be dangerous without full winter protection.”
It’s not just cold. Here’s what such low temps may affect
Beyond those concerns, officials say the cold weather will mean homes lose heat faster. Apartments with weak insulation or heating problems may struggle to stay warm. Pipes could freeze. Cars may have trouble starting.
NYC’s OEM says people without reliable heat, older adults, people experiencing homelessness, and those with medical conditions face the highest risk. Anyone who sees someone at risk outdoors is asked to call 311, and with a Code Blue in effect, Mamdani says that will route the call directly to 911.
Across the U.S., at least 23 deaths were reported in states dealing with severe cold, according to NBC News. The fresh influx of Arctic air is likely to sustain freezing temperatures in places already covered in snow and ice.
And it’s possible another winter storm could hit the NYC area this weekend.
