Studying Temperature Variability in New York City Subway System.

Due to the rapidly changing climate, New York City (NYC) is grappling with significant challenges. Various facilities, especially underground transportation infrastructure, are likely to be severely impacted, particularly by the increasing occurrence of heat waves. Elevated temperatures in the NYC subway system during these events could endanger the health and safety of commuters and subway personnel, while also threatening the system's structural integrity. However, the full scope of these temperature effects is still not fully understood. This study aims to thoroughly analyze temperature impacts and their implications within the subway network.
Temperature and relative humidity data were collected using sensors and thermal infrared cameras across multiple underground stations in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens. Using the collected data, heat indices were calculated based on the Rothfusz regression equation. Initial findings for July 2024 indicate the mean heat index differences (platform level vs. street level) as follows: -1.5°F for stations with air tempering systems, 2.34°F for stations with fans, and 2.37°F for stations with neither air tempering systems nor fans. These results highlight critical areas in need of targeted heat management interventions to reduce heat buildup.