Culture
Ask CityLab: What's the Deal with Steam Rising from the NYC Streets?
The plumes are so common, but also mysterious.
Ask CityLab is where we answer thorny questions about urban life. Email your Q's to AskCityLab@CityLab.com.
Almost as representative of New York City as skyscrapers—though probably not as iconic—are the plumes of steam rising from beneath the ground. Sometimes they come out of the manhole covers; other times, they blow from giant white and orange tubes, like something out of a Dr. Seuss book. Walking by them evokes a mix of curiosity and disgust. After all, how clean can something be if it’s coming from underground?