New York Mayor Urges Residents to Set Air Conditioners to 78°F Amid Record Heat Wave

New York City is experiencing its hottest temperatures in 14 years, with forecasts predicting highs reaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit (about 38 degrees Celsius) this week. In response, newly elected Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged residents across the five boroughs to set their air conditioners to 78 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately 25.5 degrees Celsius) to prevent the city’s electrical grid from collapsing under the extreme demand. He also called on citizens to turn off unused lights and electronic devices to ease the strain on the power supply.

Mamdani emphasized that public buildings are leading by example, maintaining thermostats at 78 degrees and dimming or turning off lights during peak electricity usage. He stressed that a stable power grid is essential to keep air conditioning running and save lives during the heat wave.

The mayor’s recommendation sparked sharp criticism and ridicule on social media. Conservative media figures and political opponents accused him of enforcing socialist policies and demanded that he personally demonstrate the suggested thermostat settings. Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports and a potential mayoral candidate, mocked the directive as "communism." Other critics sarcastically questioned the collective approach to energy use, while some residents vowed to defy the guidance by setting their air conditioners to much lower temperatures.

The heat wave has pushed many New Yorkers to seek relief in Central Park, Prospect Park, and city cooling centers. The extreme weather event is unusual for New York, which has not seen such high temperatures since 2012. Energy companies and city officials are concerned about potential blackouts caused by the simultaneous use of millions of air conditioners, prompting the mayor’s emergency appeal to the public.