Heat wave rolls in: Cooling centers to open as high humidity, upper 90s take hold

Greenfield City Hall.

Greenfield City Hall. STAFF FILE PHOTO/PAUL FRANZ

By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

Staff Writer

Published: 06-17-2024 5:38 PM

The Pioneer Valley is bracing for a potentially record-setting heat wave this week, as local cities and towns open cooling centers and put out their own advisories warning residents.

According to the National Weather Service station in Norton, the areas along the Connecticut River from Greenfield to Hartford are under an “Excessive Heat Watch,” with the possibility of heat indexes surpassing 105 degrees. Similar to a wind chill factor during the cold months, a heat index measures what the temperature feels like when factoring in humidity with the current temperature.

Torry Dooley, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Norton, said that the forecast over the next three days showed a Tuesday heat index of 98 to 100 degrees, a Wednesday heat index of 102 to 104 degrees and a Thursday heat index of 102 to 105 degrees.

“This is well above what is normal in June,” Dooley said. “It’s important that people limit time spent outdoors, wear sunblock and take any necessary precautions.”

Other ways residents can help protect themselves include wearing wide-brimmed hats, drinking plenty of fluids and avoiding strenuous activity.

Dooley said that at the closest monitoring station for recording temperatures, located in Hartford, the all-time record for temperature in June was 100 degrees, not including heat index, which occurred once in 1952 and again in 1964.

“Every day this week will likely be pushing our record,” Dooley said.

On Monday, the city of Greenfield shared a list of cooling centers that will be open until the end of the day on Friday, June 21. Some special hours are in place on the Juneteenth holiday. The list includes:

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■John Zon Community Center (35 Pleasant St.): Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

■Greenfield Housing Authority’s Community Room (1 Elm Terrace): Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (availability for Wednesday, June 19, will be confirmed on Tuesday, June 18).

■Oak Courts Common Room (Oak Courts, off of Elm Street): Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

■Greenfield Public Library (412 Main St.): Monday and Tuesday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday and Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (On Wednesday, June 19, the library will be open as a cooling center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The community meeting room, conference room and periodicals lounge will be open as a cooling center, but the main library will be closed off.)

■Greenfield City Hall (14 Court Square): Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Individuals can find cooling centers in other communities by calling 211.

Staying safe during a heat wave

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, those who are most susceptible to heat-related complications include infants and children up to 4 years of age, as well as people ages 65 and older, who are overweight, and those who are ill or on certain medications. Others who are vulnerable to heat-related issues include athletes and outdoor workers, workers who wear protective clothing such as firefighters, and those who work in hot indoor environments with poor ventilation, such as kitchen or laundry workers.

If outdoor activities can’t be avoided during hot weather, one should wear sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat and, 30 minutes before going out, apply a sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher. The CDC recommends looking for the words “broad spectrum” or “UVA/UVB protection” on the label.

There are different symptoms for heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Symptoms for heat exhaustion are weakness and severe fatigue, feeling dizzy or light-headed, nausea and/or vomiting, fainting (with recovery) and unusually heavy sweating. Symptoms for heat stroke, meanwhile, include loss of consciousness, disorientation, confusion/not making sense, slurred or garbled speech, hallucinations and seizures.

In the case of heat exhaustion, get to a cool place as soon as possible, remove unnecessary clothing, cool off with a wet towel/fan/ice packs, and elevate your legs if you are feeling faint or have fainted. If symptoms are not improved after a half-hour, get medical attention.

If experiencing the symptoms of heat stroke, call 911. Next, move the person to a cool, dry place, remove unnecessary clothing, douse them with cool water, or place them in ice or a cold-water bath if possible.

For more information, visit weather.gov/safety/heat.

Athol Daily News Editor Max Bowen contributed reporting.