Gov. Kathy Hochul on Sunday declared a state of emergency for the Big Apple and much of the rest of New York thanks to a suffocating heatwave set to shatter 125-year-old records.
Deadly thunderstorms and flash flooding were already rocking upstate over the weekend, and a days-long heatwave stretching across the Northeast could push temperatures past 100 at least one day this week — with the humidity only warming things up further, forecasters warned.
Monday’s temperatures in the city will soar close to 100 degrees, and Tuesday, they are set to hit a sweltering 102, forecasters said. Both days stand to shatter previous heat records, which were 96 degrees in Central Park in 1888.
Storms in Central New York on Saturday night brought in high winds and heavy rains that toppled trees and crushed homes, killing at least three people in Oneida County — including young twin girls, according to the Oneida County Sheriff’s Department.
Hochul declared the state of emergency there, the baking Apple, Long Island and counties including Westchester — freeing up extra resources for areas in need.
“Our hearts break for the tragic loss of life during last night’s storms, and my administration has been in touch with local elected officials offering support,” Hochul said in a press release.
“State emergency response personnel are already on the ground providing resources and support as we work to recover from this severe weather and restore power quickly,” she said.
“I urge all New Yorkers to stay weather aware and take precautions to stay vigilant and safe as extreme heat and severe weather are expected to continue impacting the State over the next couple of days.”
Rain is expected to keep battering Central New York, the Southern Tier and North Country.
The state warned that flash flooding in Central New York in particular could spill over into the Southern Tier and the Mid-Hudson region.
Approximately 50,000 New Yorkers were without power after the weekend storm, according to state officials. The majority were in Oneida County, where roughly 35,000 people were impacted, according to the National Grid power outage map.
The state of emergency extends to all of New York City, Long Island and counties including Albany, Broome, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Dutchess, Essex, Greene, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Orange, Otsego, Putnam, Rensselaer, Rockland, Saratoga, Schenectady, Tioga, Ulster, Warren, Washington, Westchester and contiguous counties.
