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NYC Ties 107°F Record, Mayor Urges 78° Thermostats

7/4/2026

37 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

New York City tied its July 2 record of 100 °F, with the Bronx reaching 107 °F.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani asked residents to set thermostats to 78 °F as the heat wave intensified.
The National Weather Service issued an Excessive Heat Warning through Saturday, forecasting feels-like temperatures of 110-115 °F.
Con Edison restored power to about 31,000 customers while roughly 16,000 remained without electricity in Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island.

History

Historical Context

During the five-day July 1995 Chicago heat wave, 739 residents—mostly low-income elders—died, a tragedy later examined by sociologist Eric Klinenberg, who noted the death map mirrored poverty. The event echoes earlier disasters such as the 1901 Eastern United States heat wave that killed 9,500 people, underscoring a long-standing heat risk in the region.

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Story summary

New York City tied its July 2 record of 100 °F, with the Bronx reaching 107 °F.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani asked residents to set thermostats to 78 °F as the heat wave intensified.
The National Weather Service issued an Excessive Heat Warning through Saturday, forecasting feels-like temperatures of 110-115 °F.
Con Edison restored power to about 31,000 customers while roughly 16,000 remained without electricity in Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island.

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