What you need to know: The National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory for all five boroughs of New York City, in effect from 2:17 a.m. EDT until 8:00 p.m. EDT today, Wednesday, May 20, 2026. Heat index values in the middle 90s are expected. The advisory covers Bronx, Kings (Brooklyn), New York (Manhattan), Northern Queens, Richmond (Staten Island), and Southern Queens counties.
NYC Storm Watch: Heat Advisory — May 20, 2026 — What all five boroughs need to know
The advisory in plain language
NWS Upton issued the alert at 2:17 a.m. The combination of heat and humidity is expected to make it feel like 95–99°F across the city today. Actual high temperatures are forecast near 85°F in Manhattan and the western boroughs, climbing to 92°F in Queens. Showers and thunderstorms are likely later in the afternoon, but the storms do not end the heat risk during the work day.
Who is most at risk
The NWS instruction text names the higher-risk groups directly: seniors, people with chronic health problems or mental-health conditions, and anyone whose home does not have working air conditioning. Homes without AC can be significantly hotter than outdoor temperatures — particularly third- and fourth-floor walk-ups in pre-war buildings across Manhattan, the Bronx, and Brooklyn.
What to do right now
- Call 311 to find the closest open NYC Cooling Center. The city activates cooling centers in libraries, senior centers, and NYCHA community rooms when heat advisories are in effect.
- Check on vulnerable neighbors — one phone call or knock on the door this morning. The city’s heat-vulnerability index is highest in central Brooklyn, the South Bronx, and eastern/southern Queens.
- Hydrate before you feel thirsty. Thirst lags dehydration by hours.
- Reschedule outdoor exertion — runs, hard labor, sports practices — to before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m.
- Never leave kids or pets in a parked car. Even a few minutes is enough at these heat indices.
Outdoor workers
The NWS message cites OSHA’s recommendation directly: frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments. Construction sites, restaurant patios, delivery couriers, and street vendors should rotate breaks aggressively. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool, shaded location immediately. Heat stroke is a medical emergency — call 911.
Storms tonight do not cancel the heat risk
The NWS forecast calls for showers and thunderstorms likely this afternoon and evening, with 60–70% chance of precipitation and rainfall amounts of a tenth to a quarter of an inch. Storms can bring brief relief but also bring lightning, gusty wind, and localized flooding to low-lying parts of southern Queens, southern Brooklyn, and the Lower East Side. Stay indoors during thunderstorms.
What changes overnight
Lows drop to around 58°F under mostly cloudy skies. Open windows after sundown to flush hot indoor air, and prepare for a much cooler Thursday — highs only near 62°F with rain showers likely before 2 p.m.
Cooling-center and 311 contact
Call 311 for cooling center locations and the NYC “Beat the Heat” safety guide. TTY: 212-504-4115.
Sources
- NWS Heat Advisory — active alerts for New York (alert ID 2.49.0.1.840.0.2ba8b77d3cd03d4c62d048a08ff21b6d15b064af.002.1, issued 2026-05-20T02:17 EDT)
- NWS NYC forecast (OKX 33,42) — updated 2026-05-20T06:20Z
- NWS Queens forecast (OKX 40,44)
