As Summer Heats Up, the NYC Health Department Releases New Report on Heat-Related Deaths and Opens New Cooling Centers

As Summer Heats Up, the NYC Health Department Releases New Report on Heat-Related Deaths and Opens New Cooling Centers

Annual Report Finds Approximately 500 New Yorkers Die From Heat-Related Causes Each Year, With Most Deaths Occurring on Hot, but Not Extreme, Heat Days

June 15, 2026 - The NYC Health Department today released the 2026 New York City Heat-Related Mortality Report, an annual report describing the toll that heat takes on the lives of New Yorkers. The report shows that approximately 500 New Yorkers die from heat-related causes each year, making heat one of the deadliest weather-related hazards in New York City. Most of these are heat-exacerbated deaths, which occur when heat worsens existing health conditions such as heart disease. To help prevent heat-exacerbated deaths and other heat illnesses in key neighborhoods with the highest risk of heat-related illness and death, the NYC Health Department announced the addition of three cooling centers at the Neighborhood Health Action Centers of Brownsville, East Harlem, and Tremont.

"Hot weather is a silent but deadly killer, as we know from our annual heat-related mortality report, which finds that approximately 500 New Yorkers die from heat-related causes each year," said NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alister F. Martin. "These deaths are preventable, and as our city becomes hotter due to climate change, we must continue investing in access to air-conditioning and affordable energy to help New Yorkers stay safe in their homes, especially those most vulnerable to the health impacts of heat."

"Heat is the deadliest weather we face in New York City. Climate change is making dangerously hot weather more frequent and intense. In mid-May, the city was under its earliest Heat Advisory on record," said NYC Emergency Management Commissioner Christina Farrell. "The Health Department's Annual Heat-Related Mortality Report highlights how everyone needs to take extreme heat seriously. As we approach the official start of summer, remember to stay safe, stay cool, and stay informed. Know your Cool Options, visit a Cooling Center if you are unable to access air conditioning. Check on your neighbors, especially older adults, and people with mobility issues. Sign up for Notify NYC by texting NOTIFYNYC to 692-692 to receive emergency alerts during heat events."

"Most heat-related deaths occur at home, making access to safe and affordable indoor cooling one of the most effective ways to protect New Yorkers," said NYC Chief Climate Officer Louise Yeung. "As summers get hotter, New York City must take a whole-of-government approach to tackling the climate crisis: including investing in modern heating and cooling systems at NYCHA developments, connecting the New Yorkers most at risk with resources that help them stay safe, and supporting a successful implementation of Local Law 23's indoor cooling requirements."

"Keeping New Yorkers safe throughout the city's hot summer months requires a coordinated strategy that reaches vulnerable New Yorkers where they are and ensures everyone is aware of the resources that are available to help them stay cool," said Department of Social Services Commissioner Erin Dalton. "Our efforts include proactively checking in on vulnerable clients, like those served through Adult Protective Services, as well as significant block-by-block outreach to reach people staying outside: offering education and connections to cooling centers and shelters as well as assessing for medical and competency concerns whenever necessary."

The report found that approximately 80% of heat-related deaths occur on hot, but not extreme heat days, when temperatures are between 82 and 94 degrees Fahrenheit. As climate change continues to make our city hotter overall, these days are becoming more frequent and are contributing to a growing burden of heat-related illness and death.

The report also found that extreme heat events continue to pose the greatest risk, though they occur less often than non-extreme hot days. A severe and prolonged heat wave in June 2025 resulted in 19 heat stress deaths and disproportionately affected Black and Latino New Yorkers. The event increased the average annual number of heat stress deaths over the past decade and highlighted the growing health risks associated with climate change.

Most people who died from heat stress were exposed to dangerous temperatures in homes without air-conditioning. Heat-exacerbated deaths were also more likely to occur at home during and after hot weather. Lack of access to cooling equipment and affordable energy to operate it remains one of the most significant risk factors for heat-related death.

To better reach New Yorkers in communities with the highest risk of heat-related illness and death, the NYC Health Department worked with New York City Emergency Management to open three new cooling centers at Neighborhood Health Action Centers in Brownsville, East Harlem, and Tremont. The newly added cooling centers will be open to the public during extreme heat events, when the heat index is 100 F or higher for one or more days, or 95 F or higher for two or more consecutive days.

Location of Neighborhood Health Action Centers Operating as Cooling Centers

• Brownsville Neighborhood Health Action Center
  259 Bristol St., Brooklyn
• East Harlem Neighborhood Health Action Center
  158 E. 115th St., Manhattan
• Tremont Neighborhood Health Action Center
  1826 Arthur Ave., Bronx

Besides the cooling centers listed above, the Health Department encourages New Yorkers to seek out other convenient air-conditioned spaces such as libraries or shopping centers during periods of high temperatures. For a complete list of cooling centers, use the Cool Options Finder.

The report found that heat-related deaths continue to disproportionately affect Black New Yorkers, reflecting long-standing inequities in housing quality, access to cooling, neighborhood conditions, and other social and environmental factors that influence health.

Although eligible New Yorkers may qualify for a free air conditioner and installation through the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), there is more demand than the program can meet. The federally funded Cooling Assistance benefit closed for the year on June 5 - earlier than any previous year - leaving thousands unable to access life-saving home cooling. Essential Plan health insurance members with certain health conditions may still apply for a free air conditioner through the Essential Plan Cooling Program. However, with upcoming changes to the Essential Plan and Medicaid, many New Yorkers may be unsure of their current coverage or eligibility. New Yorkers can make the most informed decision about their family's health coverage by speaking with an enrollment counselor by calling 311, texting "CoveredNYC" to 55676, or visiting nyc.gov/healthcoverage. The City continues to advance long-term strategies to address rising temperatures through PlaNYC, including expanding access to cooling equipment and utilities assistance, requiring property owners to ensure safe indoor temperatures, and supporting programs that help New Yorkers safely weather hotter temperatures.

New Yorkers can stay informed about weather emergencies and available cooling resources by signing up for Notify NYC, the City's free emergency notification system. Residents can also use the City's Cool Options Finder to find cooling centers, libraries, museums, malls, and other air-conditioned spaces throughout the five boroughs. People working in hot conditions should drink water regularly (even if they don't feel thirsty), take breaks in cooled or shaded locations, and wear light, loose-fitting clothes. Employers and workers should follow NYS Department of Labor guidance to stay safe during hot weather.

The full report and additional information about heat, climate, and health are available at the Health Department's Climate and Health Data Hub.

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