The hidden heatwave: Thermal hazards in the New York City subway system

Source abstract

Underground transit systems (Subway) are susceptible to frequent heat waves, which pose serious health and safety risks to commuters and transit workers. Yet, the patterns and extent of temperature changes within the subway system remain insufficiently understood. To address this gap, we conducted a study of thermal variability across 112 subway stations in New York City. Temperature and relative humidity were measured at both platform and street levels. Results show that during the summer, 70% of subway stations had platform heat index higher than street level heat index. We also developed a machine learning forecasting model to predict platform-level temperatures. The model achieved strong predictive performance of (R² = 0.85 at platform-level). These findings highlight stations where heat management is most needed and demonstrate the potential for predictive tools to inform targeted interventions that improve the resilience and safety of urban transit systems.