Tragic Winter: Extreme Cold Claims 18 Lives in New York City

Wed Feb 11 2026 00:30:12 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

New York City faces a devastating cold snap, resulting in the tragic loss of 18 lives. Mayor encourages residents to stay safe as temperatures remain perilously low.

A severe cold wave in New York City has led to the deaths of 18 individuals due to extreme weather conditions, marking one of the longest stretches of sub-zero temperatures in decades. The mayor has urged residents to stay indoors and look out for one another as the city strives to manage the crisis.

A total of 18 people have died as a result of a period of extreme cold weather in New York City, its mayor has said.

Since late January, the city has endured a cold snap, including 13 days of temperatures at 0C (32F) or below – one of the longest stretches of sub-zero weather New York has seen in six decades.

Over the weekend, another person 'lost their life on the streets of our city,' Zohran Mamdani said on Monday, adding that 'each life lost is a tragedy, and we will continue to hold their families in our thoughts.'

With temperatures set to rise this week yet remaining below average, Mamdani advised residents to 'stay safe, stay indoors... [and] keep looking out for one another.'

The mayor noted that since January 19, when a Code Blue emergency was announced to ease shelter intake policies, around 1,400 placements had been made into shelters. An additional 64 hotel rooms increased capacity, alongside at least 150 outreach workers deployed on the streets.

On January 27, it was reported that at least 10 of the deceased were found outdoors, while the circumstances surrounding the other deaths remain unclear.

'We have been working hard to keep New Yorkers safe, and we will continue to do so, especially since temperatures are not forecast to exceed 32 degrees [Fahrenheit] until tomorrow,' Mamdani emphasized.

The US National Weather Service reported that temperatures would rise to approximately 0C for most of the week, following a persistent icy Monday morning. The forecaster further stated that high temperatures typically hover around 4C this time of year.

An Arctic airmass has brought dangerously low 'wind chills' to the region, significantly increasing the risk of hypothermia and frostbite.

A streak of 13 days with temperatures at or below 0C has concluded, being one of the longest periods of frigid weather for New York City in nearly 60 years.

Officials from NYC's Emergency Management agency have warned of ongoing safety risks, stating that melting ice and snow could fall from buildings unexpectedly and that streets may refreeze overnight.