New York weather,
live right now

Late April-June and September-October. Mild (15-24°C), low humidity, perfect walking weather. May has Central Park in full bloom; September has the city back from summer fatigue, restaurants reopening, golden light. Avoid July-August (32-38°C with brutal humidity) and January-February (-5 to 3°C with snowstorms). Late October-November can be brilliant but unpredictable — pack layers.

Summer (Jun-Aug): light shirts, breathable shorts, sandals, refillable water bottle. The humidity is the killer — choose linen/cotton, avoid synthetic. Winter (Dec-Feb): proper insulated coat, waterproof boots, hat, gloves, thermal layers. -10°C nights happen. Spring/autumn: layers, light jacket, comfortable walking shoes (you'll walk 15-20km a day). Skip umbrellas in winter wind; they just break.

Museums, museums, museums. The Met needs a full day. MoMA half a day. The Natural History Museum, the Guggenheim, the Whitney — all rain sanctuaries. Smaller gems: Tenement Museum, Frick Collection, Morgan Library. Take refuge in the New York Public Library main branch (free, gorgeous, dry). Grand Central oyster bar for lunch. Browse Strand bookstore. End with cocktails at a hotel bar — the Ace, the NoMad, the Beekman. New Yorkers don't slow down for rain; you shouldn't either.

Heat domes — stationary high-pressure systems trapping hot air — hit New York 2-4 times each summer, pushing temps to 35-40°C with 80%+ humidity. Concrete and asphalt make it feel 5°C hotter. The subway becomes an oven during outages. Practical strategy: cool down in museum AC during 12:00-16:00, stay hydrated, avoid Times Square (no shade, max heat reflection), seek refuge at the High Line in early morning. Heat-related ER visits spike during these days.