New York City announced a trio of deaths from last week’s blistering heat wave on Monday, hours after New Jersey health officials raised their toll to more than two dozen.
The miserable four-day stretch sent temperatures soaring into the triple digits — for the first time in 14 years, in Central Park’s case — as officials on both sides of the river urged, and expanded, protective heat measures.
In the city, Joe Calvello, Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s press secretary, said the three New York City residents died in their homes over the weekend. It wasn’t immediately clear whether any had underlying conditions or were considered a more vulnerable population.
The names of the victims have not been released, nor have their ages.
In a statement, Calvello pointed to historical data that shows about 500 New Yorkers die of heat-related illnesses every year.
“That is why our administration undertook a massive, whole-of-government approach to respond to the extreme heat emergency: opening hundreds of cooling centers across the five boroughs, extending hours at outdoor pools, and expanding outreach to older adults, homeless New Yorkers, and others most at risk,” he said.
New Jersey’s death toll rises
A day ago, New Jersey increased its number of deaths to 29.
The state’s Department of Health said the death toll connected to the heat had increased to 29 since their previous update on Saturday. The deaths occurred during the first days of July, when temperatures topped 100 degrees in parts of the state and heat index levels were around 110 in some areas. The deadly heat wave stretched from Wednesday through Saturday.
The state’s Department of Health (DOH) said most of the deaths occurred in Central and North Jersey, with the ages ranging from the mid-30s into the 80s.
“While these numbers are still unconfirmed until a forensic pathologist completes the exam and death certificate, they underscore the serious public health risks associated with extreme heat and are a sobering reminder of the need for continued vigilance and heat safety measures during periods of extreme temperatures,” a spokesperson for the DOH said.
No further information regarding the deaths was immediately available.
New Jersey Health Commissioner Dr. Raynard Washington said during a previous press conference that the circumstances of the deaths varied significantly.
“Unfortunately, many of these individuals were found in homes without air conditioning; few were outside of their residence, some on the street, and some even in parked cars,” said Washington.
A heat wave in 2025 resulted in six heat-related deaths, according to the health commissioner.
Heat may not have been the only contributing factor. The arrival of powerful storms late Friday downed countless trees and knocked out power to thousands of utility customers, though it wasn’t clear if any of the deaths were inside homes impacted by outages.
The heat wave finally ended Sunday, though multiple inches of rain led to flooding conditions in many parts of the state.
