County, City Announce “Cooling Centers” to Open During Predicted Heatwave This Week

As a heat wave threatens Southern California as early as Friday of this week, Los Angeles County authorities announced they plan to stage cooling centers across the region for people to take some relief from temperatures expected to soar into triple digits across valley areas.

The City of Pasadena will open the Pasadena Senior Center as a cooling center starting this weekend, with daytime operating hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and reduced hours on Friday and Saturday.

A Special Weather Statement from the National Weather Service says a strong area of high pressure aloft will build in across Southern California Saturday into early next week.

“Very warm conditions are expected on Saturday with highs in the 90s across valleys and around 100 degrees for the Antelope Valley,” the statement said. “Temperatures are then expected soar into the triple digits nearly everywhere away from the immediate coast on Sunday and Monday with only little relief going through the middle of next week. Several daily and monthly records will be threatened.”

The statement warned further that during the peak of this heat wave, high temperatures are projected to range between 105 and 112 across the valley areas, and that downtown Los Angeles could feel maximum temperatures above 100 degrees.

In Pasadena, highs could go up to 100 by Sunday, and near 106 on Monday.

A notice on the city’s website advised residents to check with the Pasadena Senior Center to make sure seating is available. The senior center is located at 85 E. Holly Street and can be reached through (626) 795-4331.

L.A. County has also released a list of other cooling centers nearby, posted on the Pasadena city website. Also posted is a link to some heat wave advice the county has provided.

“Exposure to sunlight is a mixed blessing,” part of the advisory said. “Although sun is necessary for life, exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation is potentially dangerous and can damage the skin. Varied burns result from prolonged exposure to UV rays, but some people also may burn from very little exposure. UV rays can significantly keep the skin from compensating for the excess heat. Overexposure to heat or excessive exercise in the heat also can cause other injuries. The severity of such injuries increases with age; heat cramps in a younger person may be heat exhaustion in a middle-aged person, but may be heatstroke in an elderly person. This occurs because the person has not adapted to the heat and is unable to adjust to changes in the body.”

Here’s a link to the page that enumerates tips on preventing heat injuries: www.lacoa.org/PDF/ESP_FocusSheet_Heatwave_0710.pdf.

The City of Pasadena’s Cooling Center advisory is on this link: www.ci.pasadena.ca.us/EkContent.aspx?theme=Navy&id=8589943387&bid=0&style=news&bid=0.