December 18, 2019 — The New York City Emergency Management Department and the Health Department advise New Yorkers to prepare for extreme cold weather. According to the latest National Weather Service (NWS) forecast, an arctic front moves into the area this evening bringing low temperatures through the end of the week.
As winds gradually increase Wednesday evening, with gusts as high as 45 mph, wind chill values will be in the single digits through Thursday morning. Thursday’s high temperature is in the mid-20s, but wind chill values will be in the teens through early Friday morning. Friday remains cold, with wind chill values around 20. Temperatures increase to the upper 30s on Saturday, with a high temperature in the mid-40s on Sunday.
As cold and blustery conditions move into our area, we want to advise you to take necessary precautions to stay safe.
• Remain indoors as much as possible.
• Wear dry, warm clothing and cover exposed skin if you have to go outdoors. Keep fingertips, earlobes, and noses covered. Wear a hat, hood, scarf, and gloves.
• Return indoors when shivering. Shivering is an important first sign that the body is losing heat.
• Be safe when working outside. Working outdoors increases risks for cold-related illness, injury or death. Employers must ensure safe work practices, provide appropriate protective equipment, and train workers on cold and winter weather safety.
• Limit alcohol intake. Drinking alcohol may make you feel warmer but it causes your body to lose heat faster and impairs judgment. As a result, alcohol actually increases your chances of hypothermia and frostbite.
• Immediately tell your building superintendent, property manager or owner if you do not have heat. Call 311 if the problem is not fixed quickly and go to a warm place, such as a friend’s or family member’s home. If you stay at home, wear layers of clothing.
• Check on family, friends and neighbors who may need help in cold weather — especially older adults or people with disabilities — to make sure they are safe inside and have heat.
• Should you see an individual who appears to be homeless and in need out in the cold, please call 311 and an outreach team will be dispatched to offer assistance.
• Sign up for Notify NYC, the City’s free emergency notification system, to stay informed on the latest extreme weather updates and other emergencies. To learn more about the Notify NYC program or to sign up, visit NYC.gov/NotifyNYC or call 311, or download the free app for your Android or Apple device. You can also follow @NotifyNYC on Twitter.