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New York State Heat Risk and Illness Dashboard Helps Users Assess Health Risk Due to Heat Exposure by Location
Department Experts Lead New Study in CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report on the Use of HeatRisk Forecasts and Emergency Department Visits for Heat-Related Illness
ALBANY, N.Y. (May 27, 2025) – The New York State Department of Health announces the launch of its interactive New York State Heat Risk and Illness Dashboard that will allow the public and county health care officials to determine the forecasted level of heat-related health risks in their area and raise awareness about the dangers of heat exposure. The release of the tool coincides with findings recently published in a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) study led by Department of Health staff.
"This is a new tool that will help us understand the risk hot weather presents to us. We have moved beyond, 'it's not the heat, it's the humidity;' it's much more complicated than that, and this dashboard offers better insight into your risk," State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. "The New York State Heat Risk and Illness Dashboard uses real time data points to help communities and decisionmakers—like school officials and employers–make informed choices, such as adjusting outdoor activities or opening cooling centers. The Department will continue to help increase awareness of the health risks associated with increasing temperatures and to provide tools needed to make healthy choices."
The Heat Risk and Illness Dashboard uses data from the National Weather Service, New York State Mesonet (via the New York State Weather Risk Communications Center), and the New York State Department of Health. Health measures come from electronic syndromic surveillance system reports of heat-related emergency department visits and emergency medical services calls for heat-related illnesses. The Dashboard provides a snapshot of the current heat outlook and recent patterns in heat-related illness across the state that are presented along with recent useful historical data.
The Dashboard embeds the HeatRisk forecast, developed by the National Weather Service and the CDC, which uses a 5-level color-coded scale to illustrate the potential risks of heat-related impacts for up to seven days in advance. Each level corresponds to a different level of heat risk, helping to identify areas forecasted to have greater health risks from heat exposure and providing risk guidance for decision-makers and heat-vulnerable populations.
The launch of the Dashboard is a continuation of efforts to adapt to the impacts of climate change and resulted from a collaboration by experts within the Department of Health's Center for Environmental Health, Center for Community Health, and the Office of Science.
continued: https://health.ny.gov/press/releases..._heat_risk.htm
Department Experts Lead New Study in CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report on the Use of HeatRisk Forecasts and Emergency Department Visits for Heat-Related Illness
ALBANY, N.Y. (May 27, 2025) – The New York State Department of Health announces the launch of its interactive New York State Heat Risk and Illness Dashboard that will allow the public and county health care officials to determine the forecasted level of heat-related health risks in their area and raise awareness about the dangers of heat exposure. The release of the tool coincides with findings recently published in a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) study led by Department of Health staff.
"This is a new tool that will help us understand the risk hot weather presents to us. We have moved beyond, 'it's not the heat, it's the humidity;' it's much more complicated than that, and this dashboard offers better insight into your risk," State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. "The New York State Heat Risk and Illness Dashboard uses real time data points to help communities and decisionmakers—like school officials and employers–make informed choices, such as adjusting outdoor activities or opening cooling centers. The Department will continue to help increase awareness of the health risks associated with increasing temperatures and to provide tools needed to make healthy choices."
The Heat Risk and Illness Dashboard uses data from the National Weather Service, New York State Mesonet (via the New York State Weather Risk Communications Center), and the New York State Department of Health. Health measures come from electronic syndromic surveillance system reports of heat-related emergency department visits and emergency medical services calls for heat-related illnesses. The Dashboard provides a snapshot of the current heat outlook and recent patterns in heat-related illness across the state that are presented along with recent useful historical data.
The Dashboard embeds the HeatRisk forecast, developed by the National Weather Service and the CDC, which uses a 5-level color-coded scale to illustrate the potential risks of heat-related impacts for up to seven days in advance. Each level corresponds to a different level of heat risk, helping to identify areas forecasted to have greater health risks from heat exposure and providing risk guidance for decision-makers and heat-vulnerable populations.
The launch of the Dashboard is a continuation of efforts to adapt to the impacts of climate change and resulted from a collaboration by experts within the Department of Health's Center for Environmental Health, Center for Community Health, and the Office of Science.
continued: https://health.ny.gov/press/releases..._heat_risk.htm