UAlbany Researchers Support Launch of New York Heat Risk and Illness Dashboard

By Mike Nolan

ALBANY, N.Y. (June 5, 2025) — University at Albany researchers are partnering with the New York State Department of Health on a new interactive dashboard that will help users across the state assess health risk due to heat exposure.

The New York State Heat Risk and Illness Dashboard utilizes data from the National Weather Service, the New York State Mesonet, operated by UAlbany, and the New York State Department of Health to forecast levels of heat-related health risks and raise awareness about the dangers of heat exposure.

Meteorologists at UAlbany’s State Weather Risk Communication Center (SWRCC) have worked closely with officials at the Department of Health on the new tool for more than a year, sharing historical weather data and daily peak heat index summaries.

Launched in 2023, the SWRCC is a first-of-its-kind partnership between UAlbany and the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services that leverages the University’s expertise in atmospheric sciences to help state and local emergency managers prepare for and respond to severe weather.

“The Department of Health was already tracking various health statistics and knew that extreme heat conditions were associated with increased hospitalizations and emergency incidents,” said SWRCC Director Nick Bassill. “This new dashboard offers an easy way to see weather data — past and present — down to the county level, helping everyone stay informed about heat-related health risks in their area.”

"Working on the heat risk and illness dashboard has been incredibly rewarding,” added SWRCC lead meteorologist Allison Finch, a 2020 UAlbany graduate and former NYS Mesonet intern. “This dashboard helps identify important patterns, like how the same heat wave in May typically causes greater health impacts than in September when people's bodies are more acclimated to heat, or how holiday events can lead to spikes in heat-related hospitalizations when more people are outdoors. It will have a direct impact on keeping New Yorkers safe."

The dashboard embeds the “HeatRisk forecast,” developed by the National Weather Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 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.

It also provides recent patterns in heat-related illness across the state, excluding the five boroughs in New York City, along with other useful historical data.

Data from the NYS Mesonet is vital to the dashboard. Each of its 127 standard weather stations, located about 19 miles apart, collects weather data every five minutes, feeding prediction models and decision-support tools for users across New York.

A UAlbany-led study in 2022 found that extreme heat conditions can exacerbate symptoms of mental health disorders. The study leveraged data from the Mesonet, along with publicly available information on New York emergency department visits. 

“Whether it’s heat, or other extreme weather events like fires, flooding or snow, real time data from our Mesonet stations is a driving force behind decision making that protects New Yorkers,” said NYS Mesonet Director June Wang. “We are happy to be involved with this dashboard, along with other similar tools that support communities across our state.”

Along with the Heat Risk and Illness dashboard, NYS Mesonet data is being utilized by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation to generate daily fire danger ratings across the state. Another partnership between the Mesonet and Cornell University is helping farmers and agricultural producers across the state optimize crop management.

UAlbany researchers, including Bassill, also partnered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to create a new tools that can support New York City officials with forecasting and communication around extreme heat events.