NYC Braces For Dangerous Heat, Storms As Forecasters Issue Warnings

NEW YORK CITY — A dangerous combination of extreme heat, severe thunderstorms and ripping winds is forecast to impact New York City from Thursday through Friday, according to the National Weather Service.

The National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory from noon Thursday through 8 p.m. Friday as heat index values climb into the upper 90s and low 100s across much of the area.

As the temperatures climb, scattered thunderstorms could produce damaging wind gusts exceeding 58 mph, capable of downing trees and power lines and causing scattered power outages, according to the National Weather Service.

According to the forecasters, hail up to 1 inch in diameter, as well as isolated tornadoes and localized flash flooding, cannot be fully ruled out for Thursday and Friday.

Forecasters at the National Weather Service put New York City under a "slight risk" for both on Thursday and Friday. New York City is also under a "marginal risk" for localised flash flooding.

What's most certain in the forecast is the brutal heat, officials said.

"It's getting hot outside, New York," Mayor Zohran Mamdani said. "And rising temperatures can mean dangerous, life-threatening conditions. Every year, more than 500 New Yorkers lose their lives to extreme heat."

Cooling centers will open across the five boroughs, and officials are urging New Yorkers to stay hydrated, limit outdoor activities during the hottest part of the day, monitor weather forecasts and check on New Yorkers with health risks.

"The single most important thing to do if you're at risk of overheating is to get somewhere with AC, and you've got options. That can mean a friend or a family member's place, a mall, a library, or one of the hundreds of cooling centers that our city activates during a heat emergency," Mamdani said.

See the National Weather Service's latest briefing here.

For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.