New York City temperatures plummeted to a deadly 3 degrees Sunday, making the Big Apple colder than Antarctica while claiming 17 lives this winter season in the worst cold snap to hit the Northeast in two decades.

Historic Deep Freeze Grips Northeast

Wind chills dragged real-feel temperatures to 14 degrees below zero across New York City, while parts of the Northeast reported brutal wind chills hitting 40 below. The National Weather Service issued Extreme Cold Warnings for over 43 million Americans, including major metropolitan areas like New York and Philadelphia. Meteorologist Stephen Morgan noted the last similar warning for New York City occurred in 2004, marking this as a rare and dangerous weather event.

Antarctica’s McMurdo Station registered a comparatively balmy 21 degrees, making it 18 degrees warmer than the frozen Big Apple. The Arctic air mass originated from the tundra north of Hudson Bay, Canada, bringing what AccuWeather Senior Director Dan DePodwin called the most extreme prolonged cold stretch in at least a decade for many Northeast regions away from coastal areas.

Death Toll Rises as Shelters Remain Optional

At least 17 people have died outdoors in New York City this year, with 13 confirmed hypothermia deaths. Despite the mounting fatalities, Mayor Mamdani continues refusing to force homeless individuals off the streets into shelters. Other major cities took different approaches, with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu declaring a cold weather emergency lasting through Monday, while Philadelphia and Washington DC opened additional warming centers.

Relief Coming This Week

AccuWeather meteorologist Chad Merrill announced the worst has passed, with temperatures expected to rise daily throughout the week. Monday’s high will reach 31 degrees with lows of 19 degrees, already warmer than Sunday’s peak temperature. New York City will experience a tropical 41 degrees, with consistently above-freezing temperatures creating what forecasters call a veritable heat wave compared to recent conditions.