{"id":296528,"date":"2026-07-15T13:06:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-15T13:06:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/296528\/"},"modified":"2026-07-15T13:06:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T13:06:12","slug":"cooling-centers-open-as-another-intense-heat-wave-hits-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/296528\/","title":{"rendered":"Cooling Centers Open as Another Intense Heat Wave Hits City"},"content":{"rendered":"

Though this heat wave won\u2019t be as extreme as the one the city faced earlier this month, officials are still urging New Yorkers to be cautious.<\/p>\n

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A COOL (Cooling Outreach On-Location) Van delivering mobile heat relief on Friday, July 3, 2026. Photo by Kara McCurdy\/Mayoral Photography Office<\/p>\n

by Kirstyn Brendlen, Brooklyn Paper<\/p>\n

Cooling Centers are once again open in Brooklyn as a short but intense heat wave takes hold of the borough.<\/p>\n

A heat advisory is in effect for New York City for Tuesday, July 14 and Wednesday, July 15, with temps expected to rise into the high 90s and heat indexes predicted to peak Wednesday at around 102 degrees Fahrenheit, per the National Weather Service<\/a>. The borough is also under an Air Quality advisory until Tuesday night, with AQI expected to rise above 100, or \u201cunhealthy for sensitive groups.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though this heat wave won\u2019t be as extreme as the one the city faced earlier this month, officials are still urging New Yorkers to be cautious. Prolonged heat and humidity can cause severe illness, especially in seniors and people with chronic health conditions.<\/p>\n

\"coolingA cooling center sign at the Dekalb Library in Bushwick. Photo by Susan De Vries<\/p>\n

Symptoms of severe heat illness include confusion and delirium, a fast heart rate, difficulty breathing, hot dry skin, and nausea and vomiting. Anyone experiencing those symptoms may be suffering from heat stroke<\/a>, and should call 911 immediately, officials said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs we stressed just two weeks ago during our city\u2019s record-breaking temperatures, high heat can be life threatening,\u201d said Christina Farrell, commissioner of NYC Emergency Management, in a statement. \u201cTemperatures forecasted this week will feel above 100 degrees, so New Yorkers should be vigilant about staying safe and cool.\u201d<\/p>\n

The city fielded hundreds of heat-related 911 calls and ER visits during the last heat wave, according to Gothamis<\/a>t.<\/p>\n

Brooklynites should drink extra water, limit their time outside, and spend as much time as they can in air conditioning, officials said. The National Weather Service warned that homes without air conditioning can be even hotter than it is outside.<\/p>\n

For locals without air conditioning, dozens of free public Cooling Centers are open across the borough on Tuesday and Wednesday.<\/p>\n

The most reliable way to find a nearby cooling center is to call 311 or enter your address on the city\u2019s Cool Options website<\/a>, which will bring up a list of options near you. Hours of operation may vary, and it\u2019s a good idea to call ahead to make sure the Cooling Center is open before you brave the heat.<\/p>\n

\"peopleManhattan Beach. Photo by Susan De Vries
Most Brooklyn Public Library branches double as Cooling Centers, and all Cooling Centers welcome service animals. Select centers, like the Petco on Gateway Drive in East New York, are pet friendly.<\/p>\n

The city has also activated a Code Red, and will be expanding outreach to homeless New Yorkers on Tuesday and Wednesday. Anyone who sees a homeless person in need of assistance can call 311 for help.<\/p>\n

Additionally, new COOL Vans will be roaming the boroughs, offering mobile wellness checks, medical care, and resources like electrolytes, sunscreen, and food. The vans can also give people a lift to a medical facility or local cooling center.<\/p>\n

\u201cExtreme heat doesn\u2019t affect everyone equally, and that\u2019s why our COOL vans meet New Yorkers most at risk directly where they are,\u201d said Dr. Ted Long, senior vice president at NYC Health+Hospitals. \u201cCOOL\u2019s clinical teams bring cooling supplies directly to you, and can then immediately transport you somewhere safe. Whether you are an unhoused New Yorker on the street or an older adult that needs help at home, the COOL initiative shows that New York City will do everything in its power to help you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stay cool at the pool
There are more ways to stay cool than seeking out air conditioning. Cool Options also include outdoor spray showers at parks and pools, and public pools are open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.<\/p>\n

On Tuesday and Wednesday, July 14 and 15, intermediate and Olympic-sized pools \u2014 including Bushwick Pool, Commodore Barry Pool, Douglass and DeGraw Pool, Howard Pool, Betsy Head Pool, Kosciuszko Pool, McCarren Pool, and Sunset Park Pool will be open late, until 8:30 p.m.<\/p>\n

\"aCommodore Barry Pool in 2022. Photo by Susan De Vries<\/p>\n

Beaches are open daily, and lifeguards are on duty until 6 p.m., though parts of Brooklyn beaches are closed for swimming. Check online<\/a> before you head out, don\u2019t swim between red flags, and stay out of the water when lifeguards are not present.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis heat may not reach the levels we experienced earlier this month, but it can still be deadly,\u201d said Mayor Zohran Mamdani, in a statement. \u201cEvery New Yorker should make a plan today. If you have air conditioning, turn it on. If you don\u2019t, head to one of the hundreds of cooling centers opening across the city, visit a pool, or cool off at a spray shower. And look out for your neighbors, especially seniors. If you see someone outside who appears to be in distress, call 311 so we can get help to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s note: A version of this story originally ran in Brooklyn Paper. Click here<\/a> to see the original story.<\/p>\n

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