New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that 16 people have died outdoors in recent weeks amid persistently freezing temperatures and snowstorms.
Mamdani said at a press conference Monday that hypothermia contributed to the deaths of 13 people. That figure is up from Sunday, when Mamdani told reporters there had been 14 deaths, eight of which involved hypothermia. Mamdani added that the remaining three deaths are believed to be overdoses.
None of the 16 deceased has been publicly identified, and their ages remain unknown.
Monday marked the 10th straight day that temperatures in New York City dropped below freezing (32 degrees). Mamdani called the deaths a “tragedy” and reiterated that the city remains under a Code Blue, which is designed to ensure vulnerable people, including those experiencing homelessness, are able to find safe shelter. He previously activated the Code Blue on Jan. 19.
Mayor Mamdani Holds Press Conference to Make an Announcement https://t.co/8NPDQT2ksc
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) February 2, 2026
“The cold is showing no signs of stopping, so neither will this city’s efforts,” Mamdani said.
New York City currently has warming shelters and warming vehicles, and Mamdani said the city has expanded shelter capacity. He said more than 930 people have been moved into warming shelters and “safe havens.” New York City warming vehicles typically operate overnight from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and provide, among other services, care, food, and warming supplies.
Additionally, the city has “involuntarily” moved 18 people who were “determined to be a danger to themselves or to others.” Further information on those 18 individuals, such as whether they had criminal records, was not available as of publication.
New York is one of several states seeing increased death tolls during an especially brutal winter. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Monday that a 75-year-old woman in Adair County died, raising the statewide death toll to 16.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves announced Sunday that at least 23 people have died because of Winter Storm Fern, which hit the state Jan. 23. Nearly 50,000 people statewide remained without power as of Monday morning. South Carolina has also reported six winter storm-related deaths.
Extreme cold persists in New York City; Mayor Mamdani announces single-room warming shelter units https://t.co/uPIFUUFvLH pic.twitter.com/7PgcP8QnOf
— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) February 1, 2026
Nearly 150 people are believed to have died as a result of Fern, which raged from Jan. 23 through Jan. 27.
The 10-day forecast for Manhattan from Feb. 2 through Feb. 12 does not call for temperatures higher than 40 degrees, including potential snow showers Friday night. Temperatures are not expected to climb above 36 degrees until Feb. 11.
Mamdani initially received backlash for what some called a tone-deaf video ahead of last month’s snowstorm. Social media users have continued expressing frustration with the newly inaugurated mayor, and the New York Post criticized Mamdani on Monday over an increased amount of trash piling up on sidewalks.
The New York City Department of Sanitation told The Post over the weekend that it was prioritizing trash and compost collection while operating under “slight delays.”
“We are running hundreds of collection trucks each day in addition to ongoing snow operations,” DSNY said. “We just ask for patience as we catch up.”
