NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Temperatures are set to rise in New York City in the coming days after weeks of brutal cold that has been tied to at least 18 deaths.
Temps in the city have been below average—and mostly below freezing—for nearly three weeks.
The deep freeze settled in right after the big snowstorm on Jan. 25, leading to a prolonged period of dirty ice mounds that impacted walking, parking and trash removal.
But relief is now in sight, according to AccuWeather. Highs will top 35 on Tuesday and then 41 on Wednesday. Thursday and Friday will have highs between 35 and 40.
Such temps are practically tropical compared to what the city has endured since late January.
Temps plunged on Jan. 24 and remained in the teens or 20s until early February. Though highs did crack the freezing mark several days last week, overnight lows and wind chills have remained stubbornly cold.
Indeed, the coldest night of the year so far was this past Saturday, when lows dipped to 3 degrees and wind chills bottomed out near -20.
At least 18 people died in New York City during the cold snap. The deaths were front and center at a City Council hearing Tuesday on City Hall’s response to the Arctic blast.