The Department of Buildings is telling New York City’s construction world to batten down the hatches, warning that thunderstorms and a shot at high winds are expected across the metropolitan area from this afternoon through Friday. Builders, property owners and crane operators are being urged to secure construction sites and equipment as forecasters flag unstable conditions that could bring damaging gusts and brief heavy downpours.
⚠️NYC Severe Weather Advisory⚠️ The metropolitan area is expecting thunderstorms with the chance for high winds starting this afternoon and extending through Friday. DOB is reminding all builders, property owners, and crane operators to secure their sites and equipment.
— Department of Buildings (@nyc_buildings) June 10, 2026
The local forecast from the National Weather Service shows scattered thunderstorms, gusty winds and pockets of heavy rain rolling through the five boroughs this afternoon and into Friday. That raises the risk of damaging gusts strong enough to overturn unsecured materials. Recent rounds of storms have already brought down trees, knocked out power and snarled transit, underscoring the risk to construction gear and street-level safety, as reported by NBC New York.
What builders and crane operators should do
According to the city’s latest advisory from the NYC Department of Buildings, crews should tie down loose materials, cover electrical equipment, secure netting and scaffolds, and suspend crane or hoist operations when winds reach 30 mph or greater. DOB says it will be conducting spot inspections and can issue violations and Stop Work Orders at sites that are not properly secured.
Translation: if anything on your site can blow away, this is your cue to lock it down before the wind does it for you…