At least 19 deaths in New Jersey are believed to be linked to the extreme heat as temperatures keep climbing during the July 4 holiday period, officials said.
“We started to see what we believed to be heat-related deaths as early as Thursday of this week… many of these individuals were found in homes without air conditioning,” New Jersey Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Raynard Washington said during a Saturday press briefing.
The wider metropolitan region has been gripped by a historic heat wave in the run-up to the Fourth of July, with both New York City and New Jersey recording unusually high temperatures.
In Central Park, the temperature hit 100 degrees Thursday, matching New York City’s hottest reading since 1966. It also marked the first triple-digit reading there since 2012; the Manhattan landmark reached 99 degrees around the same time last year.
Oppressive humidity and scorching weather sent New Yorkers searching for relief, as heat index values climbed as high as 110 degrees.
Conditions in the city’s subway system have been especially punishing, with several lines seeing temperatures in the mid- to upper 90s and “real-feel” readings topping 100 degrees.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani has called on New Yorkers to set their thermostats to 78 degrees as the heat wave strains energy demand.
“New York: it’s hot out there, and the power grid is working overtime to keep us cool, set your AC to 78 degrees, turn off lights/electronics you’re not using, and unplug what you can,” Hizzoner wrote in a post on X.
New York City health officials said there were no confirmed heat-related deaths so far during the current heat wave.
“Tragically, we lose about 500 New Yorkers due to heat-related illness annually. That is why the Mamdani Administration is taking a whole-of-government response to extreme heat,” a city hall spokesperson said in a statement.
Even flash thunderstorms weren’t able to break the heat’s grip on the city.
Heat-fueled thunderstorms with winds of 60 mph punished the metro area and left thousands without power Friday.
Trees were downed onto cars in powerlines in Morris and Monmouth Counties in New Jersey, leaving some beleaguered residents trapped.
Over 10,000 New Yorkers lost power in Queens as a result of the storms.
But despite the cool air brought in from the tempests, the city still neared 100 degrees Saturday ahead of the big fireworks display.
