In response to an expected sharp temperature drop of up to 20 degrees starting Sunday evening, New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced expanded measures to support homeless residents and inform the public about the risks associated with the cold weather.
The city will increase the deployment of WARM (Winter Access, Relief and Medical) ambulettes and mobile units through March 14. These teams will provide clinical consultations, distribute supplies such as blankets, warm clothing, socks, hot meals, and water, and transport unsheltered individuals to locations like shelters or warming centers.
Additional actions include opening warming centers at Department of Education schools, deploying more warming buses, and continuing a diversion from 311 to 911 during Code Blue periods. The city is sending out 500 outreach workers from various agencies, including the Department of Social Services and the Health Department. Outreach efforts will focus on areas with higher concentrations of homeless individuals based on previous experiences during cold weather events.
Mayor Mamdani instructed agencies to issue appropriate warnings in shelters. Overdose Prevention Centers will remain open overnight Sunday. Peer outreach teams composed of staff and formerly homeless individuals will encourage people to seek shelter indoors. Several syringe service drop-in centers are also set to stay open overnight from March 1 through March 4.
Light snow is possible over northern parts of the city on Sunday morning into early afternoon. The Department of Sanitation has issued a Winter Operations Advisory beginning at 7 a.m. on March 1—a lower-level response compared to a Snow Alert. While sanitation crews have cleared over 20 inches of snow from last week’s storm, some piles remain and colder temperatures may lead to icy conditions. More than 700 salt spreaders are prepared for use, including equipment for bike lanes. The department continues coordination from its Snow Command Center using the Bladerunner 2.0 tracking system.
Property owners must clear a four-foot path on adjacent sidewalks after snowfall for pedestrian safety, including those using wheelchairs or strollers. Updates are available via DSNY social media or by calling 311.
“Warmer weather is finally on the horizon, but temperatures will drop sharply Sunday night and remain low through the start of the week. After an already frigid winter, we know what works to keep New Yorkers safe – and we are building on those efforts now,” said Mayor Mamdani. “Every New Yorker deserves warmth and dignity. Be safe. Check in on your neighbors. And if you see someone who needs help, please call 311.”
“City agencies, workers and community partners have been working side by side all season to keep our neighbors warm, our streets clear and our city moving. This cold snap requires the same coordination and vigilance. From deploying hundreds of salt spreaders to de-ice our streets, sidewalks and bike lanes to mobilizing hundreds of homeless outreach workers, we are prepared. As temperatures drop, please be prepared, be safe and be on the lookout for emergency alerts,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson.
Residents can sign up for Notify NYC by texting NOTIFYNYC to 692-692 for emergency updates.
The Fire Department urges residents to follow safety guidelines during extreme cold conditions.
The Department of Health warns that infants, seniors, and people with paralysis or neuropathy are at higher risk for hypothermia or frostbite during cold snaps; it encourages checking in on friends or neighbors who may need assistance.
Symptoms of hypothermia include slurred speech, sluggishness, confusion, dizziness, shallow breathing, unusual behavior or a slow or irregular heartbeat; signs of frostbite include skin discoloration (gray/white/yellow), numbness or waxy-feeling skin.
Those interested in volunteering can join this year’s HOPE count—New York City’s annual initiative aimed at engaging with unsheltered homeless residents—which begins Tuesday March 10; volunteers work alongside outreach teams canvassing public spaces across the city.
Learn more about how HOPE helps New Yorkers or register here: https://hoperegistration.cityofnewyork.us/
