UPDATED: What to do about the coming hazardous heat wave

It’s going to be hot around here this weekend.  How hot?  Expect a high of 105 degrees.

According to the National Weather Service, Thurston County will experience excessive heat from Friday, June 25 to Tuesday, June 29. The forecast provides that for Friday, the temperatures might reach as high as 89 °F. The heat will continue to go up by Saturday at 100 °F. On Sunday, temperatures are expected to reach 105 °F.

The extreme weather condition will continue until the weekday with, experts predicting that Monday’s temperature is at 102 °F. Eventually, the heat will go down by Tuesday, at 87 °F.    

The temperature is also expected to go down at night ranging between 64-70 °F.

Emergency Cooling Centers

 Thurston County homeless service providers had teamed up with the City of Olympia staff to help homeless individuals to cope with the excessive heat. The city also set up an emergency cooling center to provide shelter for individuals during the day. The Olympia Emergency Cooling Center will be open from 12-6 p.m. starting Sat. to Mon., June 26-28. It’s located at the northwest corner of State Ave. and Capitol at 201 Capitol Way N.

In Lacey, the Virgil S. Clarkson Senior Center at  6757 Pacific Avenue SE, Lacey WA  98503 will be open Saturday, June 26 –  Monday, June 28 from Noon – 6 p.m.

These cooling centers will be available for individuals needing shelter during the hottest parts of these days.

In addition, the county will also provide survival supplies for peoples living in the homeless encampments.

The city had also partnered with Union Gospel Mission to help single adults in emergency cases and provide immediate shelter options. The Family Support Center's Pear Blossom Place is also available for families with younger children. On the other hand, Community Youth Services is also open for young adults aged 18-24.

Reminders

Drink plenty of water and stay in air-conditioned rooms or in front of a fan.

To stay cool, fill a bathtub with cool water, or take a lukewarm shower and make sure that they don’t dry off completely. There are also some creative ways to make a cheap swamp cooler.

Other ideas

Check up on relatives and neighbors, especially seniors, who are at risk of getting a heat stroke. 

Parents must not leave their children and pets unattended inside the vehicle under any circumstances as temperatures can drastically increase within a matter of minutes.

This story was updated Fri., June 25, 2021 at 5:30 p.m.