It’ll be a hot time in the old town next week as the city braces for America’s 250th birthday, a rumored Taylor Swift wedding, more World Cup craziness and now an actual heat wave.
A ridge of high pressure settling over the eastern third of the country is expected to push city temperatures into the 90s starting Wednesday with the “real-feel” potentially exceeding 100 degrees. The temperatures stay there through at least Independence Day, said Bill Goodman, a National Weather Service meteorologist.
The system will cover most of the eastern U.S., he said. So don’t get any ideas: There’s no escape.
The high temperatures come at the worst possible moment — or the best, depending on your tolerance for sweat. New York is hosting basically everything over the next week, so the city, and the subway, will be thick with crowds.
MetLife Stadium is hosting World Cup games next Tuesday, just as the heat starts moving in, and Sunday as it starts moving out.
Taylor Swift’s wedding, according to media speculation, is expected to be a multi-day affair in the heart of Manhattan and could lead to street closures around Madison Square Garden for most of next weekend.
And then, of course, there’s the special 250th edition of July 4th, which will bring a fleet of tall ships to New York’s harbor, Blue Angels overhead and massive displays of fireworks along the rivers.
The region will gradually heat up as we make our way toward the jam-packed holiday weekend, Goodman said. There’s a chance of showers this weekend, and a passing thunderstorm risk early in the week, followed by drier air as temperatures climb to the lower 90s Wednesday.
By Thursday, the region will be in the upper 90s, though Goodman said the urban corridor of northeastern New Jersey could reach 100 degrees. Friday should be similar, and the Fourth itself may be slightly cooler (though not at all cool) with temperatures in the lower 90s. Factoring in humidity, the heat index could reach 100 from Wednesday through Friday, Goodman said.
Of course, the weekend is still a ways out, he added, cautioning that “sometimes the last day of a heat wave ends up being the hottest and most uncomfortable.” So a milder Fourth is no guarantee.
On the upside, the city’s pools have opened to the public (minus one in Red Hook). The city also posts heat safety tips and guidance, along with a map of cooling options at nyc.gov/beattheheat.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani wore a suit and tie Saturday morning as he took the traditional mayoral plunge into the Thomas Jefferson Pool in Manhattan.
After his swim, the mayor urged New Yorkers to stay cool next week.
“We wanna make sure everyone's taking it very seriously,” Mamdani said. “So please make sure to stay hydrated, put on your sunscreen, and treat the summer with the seriousness it deserves.”
The city has yet to declare a heat emergency but will open cooling centers if temperatures stay above 95 degrees for at least two consecutive days.
There are roughly 500 heat-related deaths in the city each year, according to city officials. Many of those are listed as “heat-exacerbated,” meaning pre-existing conditions played a role.
As climate change brings more extreme temperatures to the region, annual heat-stress deaths have increased on average from five to seven over the last decade in New York City according to the city health department. That spike is largely down to 19 people dying from heat-related issues last year during a brutal heatwave toward the end of June. That number echoed the initial death toll in New York City this winter during an arctic cold snap. By February, at least 26 people had died from exposure to the cold.
This story has been updated with additional information and clarifies the exact temperature at which the city activates cooling centers.
Liam Quigley contributed reporting.
