Queens summary: The hottest borough in the city today. The official Queens forecast calls for a high near 92°F before storms arrive, and Queens sits under the same Heat Advisory as the rest of the city until 8 p.m. tonight. Subway riders on the 7, E, F, M, and R should expect ongoing planned-work disruptions on top of any weather-related delays this afternoon.
Why Queens runs hotter today
The NWS Queens gridpoint (OKX 40,44) shows a high near 92°F, compared with 85°F at the Manhattan/Lower-Hudson point. LaGuardia Airport’s observation read 86°F by 10:10 a.m. ET — already five degrees warmer than Central Park (83°F at 9:51 a.m.). Northern and Southern Queens are both named in the Heat Advisory issued by NWS Upton at 2:17 a.m. ET, with heat index values in the middle 90s expected through the afternoon.
Inland Queens neighborhoods — Jamaica, Forest Hills, Middle Village, parts of Astoria away from the East River — heat up faster and cool down slower than coastal areas. If you live in Rockaway, Howard Beach, or along Jamaica Bay, the sea breeze should keep your high a few degrees lower; if you live in Ridgewood or Glendale, it will not.
MTA — what Queens commuters need to know
As of the 10:36 a.m. ET MTA service-status snapshot, the lines that matter most to Queens have these standing issues from planned work, not weather:
- F train: Severe delays.
- E train: Delays.
- M train: Some downtown trains rerouted via Roosevelt Island from Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Av to Lexington Av/63 St, then via the Q to 57 St/7 Av.
- R train: Same Roosevelt Island reroute affects some downtown trains.
- J train: Reduced service for track replacement.
- 7 train: Boarding-change pattern in effect on some nights for track maintenance.
Afternoon thunderstorms commonly trigger signal delays on outdoor portions of the 7 between Queensboro Plaza and Flushing–Main St. If you ride the 7 home, plan to be on a train before 2 p.m. or budget 15–20 minutes of buffer for the evening rush.
Schools in Queens today
NYC Public Schools are in session. Queens has more outdoor recess yards than any other borough, and DOE heat protocols typically move recess and outdoor PE indoors when the heat index reaches the mid-90s — which is exactly today’s NWS forecast range. Parents at District 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30 schools should expect indoor recess and send a refillable water bottle.
Parking and garbage
May 20 is not a city-posted alternate-side parking suspension holiday. Confirm current ASP and DSNY collection status at portal.311.nyc.gov before you move your car. If storms cause street flooding this evening, DSNY collection in low-lying parts of southern Queens (Howard Beach, Hamilton Beach, parts of the Rockaways) can shift to the next morning.
If you live in Queens, here’s what to do today
- Get errands done before noon. The hottest part of the day lines up with the storm arrival window.
- Check on older neighbors — Queens has the largest population of seniors aging in place in the city, and NYC’s heat-vulnerability index is highest in eastern and southern Queens.
- Find a cooling center. Call 311 for the closest open NYC Cooling Center if your home does not have air conditioning.
- If you commute home on the 7, F, E, M, or R after 4 p.m., add buffer time and refill your water bottle before you get on the platform.
Sources
- NWS Queens gridpoint forecast (OKX 40,44)
- NWS active alerts — Heat Advisory for Northern and Southern Queens
- KLGA LaGuardia observation
- MTA service status feed — accessed 2026-05-20T10:36 ET
