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Is the end in sight for NYC's cold stretch? Not quite, meteorologists say.
By
Paige Oamek
Published Feb 2, 2026
Modified Feb 2, 2026
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Kena Betancur / AFP via Getty Images
By
Paige Oamek
Published Feb 2, 2026
Modified Feb 2, 2026
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It’s official: Punxsutawney Phil says to brace for six more weeks of winter. And in New York City, meteorologists say don’t expect much of a warmup this week, either.
Temperatures in Central Park breached 32 degrees on Monday after nine consecutive days below that mark, according to the National Weather Service. But conditions are still anticipated to be frigid through the rest of the week.
“The next couple days, we've got forecasted temperatures getting pretty close to right at freezing,” Bryan Ramsey, a meteorologist with the agency, said Monday morning.
The longest streak where highs failed to top 32 degrees in Central Park was 16 days in 1961, NWS said. And the last time there were more than nine days in a row of freezing temperatures was in 2018, with a 14-day run ending on Jan. 8.
Currently, the city is well below average temperatures for this time of year, Ramsey said. Wind chills could drop into the single digits or low teens overnight Monday.
By Thursday, Arctic air will further push down temperatures going into the weekend, when highs will possibly be in the teens, according to NWS. There is also a chance of snow accompanying the cold front.
City officials continue to warn New Yorkers about the risks of the extreme cold and are urging them to take precautions.
“We’re in the middle of what could be the harshest winter stretch New York has ever seen,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a video message last week. “While the sun and rising temperatures would typically help the city’s response after snowfall, this cold is persistent, this snow is stubborn and this danger is real.”
The city’s Emergency Management agency said residents should limit their time outdoors and make sure all their skin is covered if they have to go out. Officials are also asking New Yorkers to check on their neighbors and bring pets inside.
The city has opened warming centers and buses across the five boroughs. People can find the nearest site to them by calling 311 or visiting the system’s website.
The outdoor death toll during this period of extreme cold has climbed to 16 so far, Mamdani said Monday — more than the 14 people who died in the city due to the remnants of Hurricane Ida in 2021, according to a 2024 study by researchers at the city’s health department.
Authorities said they are still determining the exact causes of death in the cold snap, but noted hypothermia appears to have played a role in at least half of the fatalities, and several of the people who died had previous interactions with local homeless services.
The Mamdani administration said it is increasing outreach to homeless New Yorkers, adding that as of Saturday it had moved more than 860 people into shelters or other indoor locations since Jan. 19.
Mounds of rock-solid snow and ice are still making everyday commutes treacherous for many residents. The city’s sanitation department said it is working to clear public areas, including crosswalks, curbs, ramps and corners.
Sanitation officials said they are also using snow-melting machines to get rid of the snow faster. They recommended New Yorkers hold onto their recycling materials while crews prioritize trash and compost pickup as curbside collection gets back to normal after last week’s winter storm.
New York City Ferry service remained suspended Monday because of ice in the Hudson and East rivers and New York Harbor, according to ferry officials. Officials said they are monitoring maritime conditions and preparing the fleet to resume service once it is safe to do so.
This story has been updated with additional information.
Tagged
Health and Science
Winter Storm January 2026
new york city
public safety
snow
weather
Paige Oamek
Paige Oamek is a reporter on Gothamist & WNYC's day-of general assignment desk.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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