‘132F’: meet the man calling out NYC’s infernally hot subway stations
Summary
Jack Klein, a New York City construction manager, has been measuring extreme heat in several of Manhattan’s subway stations, where temperatures have reached dangerously high levels. The rising underground heat poses health risks to commuters and subway workers, highlighting challenges in cooling old subway systems amid climate change.Key Facts
- Jack Klein has placed thermometers in seven hot subway stations in Manhattan to track temperatures.
- Temperatures in some stations have reached up to 101°F (38°C) with a heat index as high as 132°F (56°C), which considers humidity and can cause heatstroke.
- Subway workers face dangerous conditions due to prolonged heat exposure underground.
- Many of Klein’s thermometers have disappeared, and he now helps by distributing water and advocating for better cooling measures like fans and seating.
- Existing subway fans sometimes blow hotter air, making conditions worse.
- New York’s subway system was built over 100 years ago during cooler climate times and faces challenges adapting to current heat levels.
- Rising global temperatures due to fossil fuel use are worsening heat problems in public transport systems globally.
- Similar issues affect other cities like London, where many subway trains lack air conditioning.
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