Tragedy Strikes New York City as Extreme Cold Claims 18 Lives

Wed Feb 11 2026 01:28:17 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A harsh cold snap in New York City has resulted in the unfortunate deaths of 18 individuals as local authorities reiterate the need for vigilance in these frigid temperatures.

New York City has been gripped by a severe cold wave since late January, leading to 18 fatalities as temperatures plunged below freezing consistently for over a week. Mayor Zohran Mamdani emphasized the ongoing risks and urged residents to protect themselves and support one another. Efforts to provide shelter to the homeless continue amidst this harsh weather.

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 of 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.

While temperatures are set to rise this week, they remain below average, with Mamdani telling residents to stay safe, stay indoors... [and] keep looking out for one another.

The mayor added that since 19 January, when a Code Blue emergency was announced, about 1,400 placements had been made into shelters. An additional 64 hotel rooms had been added to the city's shelter capacity, with at least another 150 outreach workers on the streets.

The circumstances surrounding the deaths are concerning as at least 10 of the people had been found outdoors. The mayor confirmed that the city is striving to ensure the safety of its residents.”

Arctic air brought hazardous sub-zero wind chills to the region over the weekend, increasing the risks of hypothermia and frostbite. Emergency management agencies have warned of safety risks due to melting snow and ice potentially falling from buildings and the risk of refreezing streets.