Humans have caused 1.5 °C of long-term global warming according to new estimates

It feels like we're getting much more than 1.5 degrees. Here in NYC it used to snow several times a month, we've had one tiny storm the last two years. Just 20 years ago I rarely used AC in the summer, now its on nearly every day from May to September. Its not just that the temperatures are more variable, and the rainfall patterns are much more random it really feels like we're at +4 degrees already.

You're probably feeling the urban heat island effect.

1.5 C is a global average. Feels like is anecdotal.

Some areas will see higher averages than 1.5 C. Some areas, even if only seeing an average increase of 1.5 C or thereabouts, will see more extreme temperatures exceeding past record highs and lows by several degrees Celsius.

How does that explain the change in long term weather when the city is already heavily developed.

That's partly because the warming experienced over land can be ~50-100% larger than the globally-averaged warming, with the temperatures over the oceans increasing more slowly to make up the difference.

https://www.carbonbrief.org/guest-post-why-does-land-warm-up...

One factor: 38% of population in NYC had air conditioning in 1970, 90% do now.

The OP mentioned this as a symptom - "20 years ago I rarely used AC in the summer, now its on nearly every day from May to September." Increased AC use and the associated waste heat is a significant contributor to the urban heat island effect. https://news.asu.edu/content/excess-heat-air-conditioners-ca....