Elianne Alvarado, 44, fans herself at the Astoria Boulevard subway station stop in Astoria, New York, last week. Climate change is forcing New York and other Northeastern states such as Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Jersey to take extreme heat more seriously.
The heat wave that pummeled New York state and much of the East Coast and Midwest last week and into the weekend broke daily records in several cities. On June 19, Boston ; Hartford, Connecticut ; and Providence, Rhode Island ,for that date. In New York City, temperatures reached the low 90s — not a record, but plenty hot enough to cause misery, especially with humidity and the radiant heat from concrete and asphalt.
“But for that reason, much of our built environment is maybe not as well designed to withstand the impacts, and much of our population sort of undervalues the extent to which it is a problem for our communities.” Last week on 31st Street in Astoria, Hassan Johnson was standing outside a bank with a water bottle and a towel, which he used to wipe the multiplying beads of sweat on his forehead. The 48-year-old truck driver blasts his three air conditioners when he’s at home, but the one in his truck is broken and it’s “hot as hell” as he makes deliveries.
Keith said that for the most part, the rising temperatures haven’t been enough to convince most Americans that heat is a serious threat — yet. “It is a really collaborative process, not only with CDC, but also with other state partners. We’re always interested to hear what they’re doing.”