With temperatures as high as predicted Sunday and more record temperatures expected Monday, Crossroads Community Center will be open again Monday as a cooling center, 1-8 p.m. North Bellevue Community Center will also be open for cooling Monday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. 

Lifeguards will be at Enatai Beach, Meydenbauer Bay and Newcastle Beach parks 3-7 p.m., Monday.

June 24

With temperatures in the 100s predicted for Bellevue Sunday and Monday, residents are advised to take steps to avoid heat-related illness. Older adults, young children and people with mental illness and chronic diseases are most at risk.

The city will open Crossroads Community Center (16000 NE 10th St.) Saturday and Sunday, 2-8 p.m., as a place to cool off. No organized activities are planned, but water will be available. Masks must be worn in the building, regardless of vaccination status. In partnership with the city, Bellevue Square and the Marketplace at Factoria are also welcoming people seeking respite from the heat. The Lake Hills Library (15590 Lake Hills Blvd.) will be a cooling center Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Tips for staying healthy in the heat

Public Health – Seattle & King County offers tips on how to “Stay Safe in the Heat” in words and pictures in English, español, 中文, Tiếng Việt, 한국어 and Pусский.

The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat watch, forecasting high temperatures of 99, 104 and 111 degrees on Saturday, Sunday and Monday respectively. To avoid heat exhaustion or stroke, please:

• Drink plenty of water, even if you’re not thirsty. Avoid drinks with caffeine, alcohol and large amounts of sugar, since they can actually dehydrate you.
• Limit the time you’re in direct sunlight and don’t leave children or pets in a parked car, even with the windows rolled down.
• Dress in lightweight clothing.
• If you get hot at home, if possible, spend time in places with air-conditioning (if you’re vaccinated) or a friend’s home. 
• Take a cool shower or bath, or place cool washcloths on your skin.
• If you go outside:
  • Avoid or reduce tiring activities.
  • Do activities in the cooler morning and evening hours.
• Check on elderly neighbors and relatives and pass on these precautions.
• City employees in the field will be equipped with extra water and will be on the alert for people in need.

Water Options

For those who want to swim, lifeguards are on duty at Meydenbauer Bay, Enatai Beach and Newcastle Beach parks, noon to 7 p.m., starting Saturday.  

The water features at the Crossroads water spray playground and Downtown Park Inspiration Playground offer some cooling, particularly for kids, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. Please observe distancing at these locations. 

If you choose to swim in unmonitored river or lake locations, the water may still be quite cold, so use caution and wear a personal flotation device. There have been five drownings in the region in the past week; none of the victims was wearing a life jacket. 

Source: City News