Mamdani's 78-degree rule lands as NYC heat wave turns brutal
New York City is in a brutal heat wave, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani has asked residents to set air conditioners to 78 degrees to ease strain on the power grid. The New York Times reports Jamaica, Queens faces even harsher conditions, while Gothamist shows closed pools leaving some neighborhoods without free cooling. The clash over mamdani degrees has turned a weather emergency into a national political flashpoint.
On Wednesday, July 2, Mamdani posted on X that the grid was "working overtime" as temperatures climbed ahead of the July Fourth weekend. His guidance: set AC to 78 degrees, turn off unused lights and electronics, and unplug devices where possible. City buildings would follow the same thermostat rule and dim lights during peak demand.
Key Takeaways
- The New York Times reports Jamaica, Queens is suffering worse heat impacts than much of the city during the current wave.
- Mamdani's mamdani degrees guidance matches U.S. Department of Energy advice to keep summer thermostats between 75 and 78 degrees.
- Republicans including Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley, and Ted Cruz mocked the mayor's AC request on social media.
- Red Hook's Olympic-sized public pool remains closed after a flooded filter plant damaged equipment, with no reopening before late July.
- City officials have urged New Yorkers without home AC to seek cooling centers or public pools as heat index values climb toward 110°F.
Why is Jamaica, Queens hit harder by the NYC heat wave?
According to The New York Times, New York's heat wave is brutal citywide, but in Jamaica, Queens, it is even worse. The July 2 report highlights uneven exposure as the five boroughs sweat through an extreme heat warning stretching toward Independence Day.
When some neighborhoods absorb more heat and have fewer options to escape it, emergency guidance like Mamdani's 78-degree rule lands differently depending on whether residents can reliably reach air conditioning at all.
What are mamdani degrees and why did Republicans push back?
USA Today reported that Mamdani uncommented post drew swift criticism from Republicans nationwide. Vivek Ramaswamy wrote that "This is what socialism looks like." Nikki Haley posted, "Welcome to socialism." Texas Senator Ted Cruz joked that "In a first-world country, you could turn on the A/C," though a community note noted Texas has issued similar 78-degree guidance.
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy posted: "78 degrees??? Welcome to communism people!" The mayor's office framed the request differently: "A stable grid means the AC stays on, and lives are saved." Former Mayor Eric Adams made a comparable appeal during a 2023 heat advisory. For energy and infrastructure context, see our Fintech & Crypto Alerts coverage.
Why is Red Hook's public pool still closed during the heat wave?
Gothamist reported that equipment problems have shuttered Red Hook's sprawling public pool, leaving a neighborhood that includes Brooklyn's largest public housing complex without a free place to swim. Workers discovered last Friday that a filter plant had flooded, ruining motors and other equipment.
The pool was closed for most of last summer after a broken pipe, and officials now say it will not reopen until at least the end of July—just as temperatures are expected to exceed 100 degrees over the July Fourth weekend. The parks department directed swimmers to the Douglass & Degraw pool in Gowanus, more than 1.5 miles away, but that facility closed around 1:30 p.m. after someone defecated in the water.
With city officials urging people without home AC to find cool public spaces, the Red Hook closure underscores a gap between emergency messaging and neighborhood-level resources.