A heat wave across much of the country is delaying transit systems, scorching outdoor workers, and slowing down commuters.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued heat advisories and warnings to at least 26 states and Washington, DC, this weekend. Monday and Tuesday are expected to reach near-record temperatures in much of the Northeast and Midwest.
Temperatures in the Northeast and DC area are expected to reach 100 degrees while much of the Midwest will feel high to mid-90 degree temperatures Tuesday and Wednesday.
Public transit commuters are feeling the effects already since the heat wave began Sunday afternoon. Trains are often forced to run slower due to a potential increase in mechanical failures, and the high temperatures can make waiting on a hot subway platform or at a sun-drenched bus stop miserable and dangerous.
The metro in Washington, DC, and Amtrak train lines in Chicago, Boston, New York City, and New Haven all experienced delays “due to temperature-related speed restrictions.”
Masoud Ghandehari, a professor of urban systems engineering at New York University, said heat expands many mechanical infrastructure systems supporting trains, especially those above ground. In the sun, overhead wires sag, steel railway tracks expand, and electronic systems like switches fail more frequently.
The people who operate and ride the trains are at far greater risk than these machines, Ghandehari said. “Heat is the quietest, natural ‘killer,'” he said. “There’s no massive winds and houses coming down. There’s no massive floods and cars floating in the water. It’s just slow. You get overheated, and that’s it.”
Heat killed almost 200 people last year, and nearly half were above the age of 60. Since 1995, heat has killed 238 people on average in the US every year, according to the NWS.
“Heat waves have serious impacts on human health and infrastructure like roads and power grids,” Wei Zhang, a climate scientist at Utah State University, said in 2024. “They impact the environment because heat waves can influence droughts, wildfires, and air pollution, which are familiar environmental problems we are facing.”
Underground, subway systems are some of the hottest and most humid places in cities. Ambient temperatures can reach above 90 degrees in New York City subways, the Regional Plan Association reported last year. The subway cars are cool inside, but by pumping the heat out, they bake these platforms. “So when the train rolls up, there’s all that heat spewing out into the platform, keeping the cars cool,” and raising the temperature for those waiting for their train, Ghandehari said.
As for remedies, Zhang and Ghandehari recommend increased ventilation and fans for subway systems. High ambient temperatures can cause heat stroke and heat exhaustion, especially during rush hour.
For those taking the bus, constant shade is of utmost importance, either man-made or from vegetation, Ghandehari said. “Trees make a huge difference, because if you keep the sidewalks cool, then you don’t have all that stored heat baking. It’s like an oven, you know, having those sidewalks hot from the sun.”
Zhang said roads and sidewalks absorb heat, which makes waiting at a bus stop harsher under the hot sun.
In the office, workers are also less productive during these sweltering conditions. And for those working outside, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been finalizing national regulations for managing heat exposure for workers. Hearings continue through July 2.
Zhang said the elderly and those with cardiovascular problems are the most vulnerable communities to heat stroke and are advised to stay in cooler areas as the heat wave blazes on through Wednesday.
People with asthma and other pulmonary conditions are also among the most at-risk populations for heat stroke, which can in some cases be fatal, Ghandehari said. Communities of color and those with lower socioeconomic status often have worse baseline health and are surrounded by more pollution. These health limitations, compounded with the extreme heat, can increase your risk for exposure to sometimes deadly heat-related illnesses.
Cities across the country are advising people to stay home, stay hydrated, and stay out of the sun. In New York City, the subways are poised to be especially brutal.
“As temperatures soar to nearly 100 degrees this week, we urge all New Yorkers to take the heat seriously,” Zach Iscol, the New York City Emergency Management commissioner, said in a press release. “Stay hydrated, avoid strenuous outdoor activities, and, most importantly, find places in your neighborhood to cool down, so you and your family avoid the dangerous consequences of heat illness.”
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