Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks about the extreme cold in New York City from the roof of the David Dinkins Municipal Building in Manhattan on Feb. 2, 2026, as Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal looks on.
Photo by Lloyd Mitchell
Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 7-Feb. 8, marked the 38th and 39th days of Zohran Mamdani’s term as mayor. amNewYork is following Mamdani around his first 100 days in office as we closely track his progress on fulfilling campaign promises, appointing key leaders to government posts, and managing the city’s finances. Here’s a summary of what the mayor did yesterday and today.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani spent much of the weekend on an awareness campaign about brutal temperatures hitting New York City, urging New Yorkers to stay inside and look out for each other.
Saturday night marked the coldest night of winter so far, with temperatures dropping into the low single digits throughout the five boroughs. The National Weather Service issued an extreme cold warning in the tri-state area lasting through Sunday afternoon.
Mamdani visited Staten Island firefighters and emergency medical service workers on Saturday to thank them for their work and to discuss how New Yorkers should prepare for the freezing weekend temperatures.
“If you are still outside, please come inside. Being outdoors for even a brief period of time can be lethal,” Mamdani said. “City government is doing everything in its power to keep vulnerable New Yorkers safe and warm during this winter weather crisis. The cold is persistent, but so is this city. Let’s keep looking out for one another. Stay safe. Check on your neighbors. And if you see someone in need, please call 311.”
Mamdani also directed city agencies on Saturday to double down on the visibility of signage and labeling of warming vehicles and centers, which are open to all individuals in need of shelter. The Department of Education announced on Friday that it is supporting the opening of two new warming centers in Far Rockaway and Washington Heights, bringing the total number of warming centers across the five boroughs to 10.
Mamdani’s administration has deployed over 150 additional outreach workers, the administration announced Saturday, supplementing over 400 Department of Homeless Services outreach staff already working around the clock, to conduct outreach to homeless individuals throughout the weekend.
The administration announced Saturday that the city has made more than 1,300 shelter placements and involuntarily transported 29 New Yorkers as of Jan. 19.
“This is some of the coldest weather that our city has seen,” Mamdani said Saturday. “What we’re doing at this time is doubling down on all of our efforts to connect any New Yorker who’s outside with shelter, with warmth, and with safety.”
Since a snowstorm two weeks ago that plunged the city into an extended cold snap, 17 New Yorkers have died, with hypothermia playing a role in at least 13 deaths. The city declared a Code Blue ahead of the snowstorm that has largely remained in effect since, which ramps up government efforts to get homeless New Yorkers inside.
The city has adjusted its 311 protocol throughout the cold snap, moving to make response times faster and allow callers to more quickly connect with emergency responders. The city’s longstanding policy during a Code Blue is to ask New Yorkers to call 311 if they see someone outside in need, connect that caller to 911, and respond accordingly.
In response to a question at a Friday press conference regarding why New Yorkers are not asked to call 911 directly instead of waiting to be transferred, Mamdani said his administration would reevaluate the policy after the cold snap ends.
The mayor had no events or appearances on his public schedule Sunday.
Saturday’s enhancements came on the heels of a slew of new cold preparations Mamdani had announced Friday, including the opening of new hotel shelter units, more warming facilities, a peer outreach program, and an awareness campaign.
Mamdani announced on Friday a collaboration with 311 to “cut the amount of time in half that it takes to call for help for a homeless individual.”
“Though a couple afternoons may have slipped above freezing this week, 34 degrees is the balmiest it has been,” Mamdani said Friday.
The mayor also announced on Friday that the city opened 64 new hotel shelter units for homeless individuals who are uncomfortable staying in a traditional shelter, a move to get as many New Yorkers inside as possible.
He said that a total of 65 warming facilities would be open over the weekend and that NYC Health + Hospitals’ mobile warming outreach initiative expanded to 33 mobile units. The city is also starting a pilot “peer outreach” initiative through the Department of Homeless Services that deploys formerly homeless individuals to conduct street outreach and “build trust” with those who are still in the cold.
And, Mamdani said, a direct, recorded appeal will be displayed on LinkNYC screens showing the mayor asking those outside to come to a warming center. Screens will also display a map to the nearest warming center.
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