Evansville Officials Transforming CK Newsome Center Into Cooling Center During Heat Wave
"It's hot, Don." is a huge understatement this week. "It's unbearable, Don," "It's miserably hot, Don," or "It's so hot, my shoes melted to the sidewalk, Don," are more appropriate for the early summer heat wave the Evansville area is experiencing this week. With the temperature forecasted to be in the upper-90s, and likely hitting 100 a couple of days, keeping cool becomes the priority for everyone not only to get some much-needed relief from the swelling Tri-State sun and humidity but to prevent themselves from suffering from heat exhaustion or something potentially life-threatening. To help residents stay cool, but may not have the means to do so for one reason or another, the City of Evansville is giving them a place where they can get out of the heat.
National Weather Service Issues a Heat Advisory
In addition to the high temperatures, the stifling humidity we know all too well in the Tri-State will push the heat index to anywhere between 105 to 110 which led the National Weather Service to issue the following Excessive Heat Warning for the entire Tri-State area.
<p>...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO<br />8 PM CDT WEDNESDAY...</p><p>* WHAT...Heat index values 105 to 110 this afternoon and Tuesday,<br /> and up to 105 degrees Wednesday afternoon.</p><p>* WHERE...Portions of southwest Indiana, western Kentucky and<br /> southeast Missouri.</p><p>* WHEN...From 11 AM this morning to 8 PM CDT Wednesday.</p><p>* IMPACTS...Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat<br /> illnesses to occur.</p><p>* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Overnight lows will only fall into the mid<br /> 70s to around 80, providing little relief.</p><p> </p>
Yuck.
City of Evansville Offering Cooling Center at CK Newsome Center Downtown
Mayor Winnecke's office announced on Monday that because of the dangerous heat, the lobby of the CK Newsome Center at the corner of Walnut Street and Heidelbach Avenue downtown would serve as a "cooling center" for those looking for some much-needed relief over the course of the heat wave.
A spokesperson for the Mayor's office told me by e-mail that in addition to providing an air-conditioned space for residents to sit in and cool off, they believed the American Red Cross would also be providing snacks and bottled water to help those individuals stay hydrated as well.
The "cooling center" will be open from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM daily.
How to Keep Yourself Safe During Extreme Heat
If you're not careful, one of the biggest issues you could find yourself in when temperatures reach as high as they are expected to would be dealing with heat exhaustion or heat stroke, with the latter being the more dangerous of the two. Here's how to tell if you or someone you know is suffering from either, courtesy of the National Weather Service:
In order to avoid finding yourself dealing with either of these, the National Weather Service offers the following tips for keeping yourself safe:
- Limit strenuous activity to early morning or evening hours, if possible
- Take frequent breaks in air-conditioned areas
- Drink plenty of water
If you have elderly family members or neighbors, be sure to check on them frequently as they are more susceptible to developing heat stroke. Also, if you have outdoor pets or livestock, make sure they have plenty to drink and a shaded area to rest in. And finally, DO NOT leave children or pets in a locked car for any amount of time while running errands. Even if you think you'll only be a minute. The temperature inside a car can rise well above the outside temperature in just a matter of minutes.
Unfortunately, it looks like we'll be stuck with temps exceeding 90-degrees for the foreseeable future, according to The Weather Channel, with little-to-no rain to give us some relief anytime soon. Stay safe!
[Sources: Lloyd Winneck on Facebook / National Weather Service / The Weather Channel]