Hot spell forecast for July 26-30

The National Weather Service in Seattle has forecast a heat wave for Puget Sound Tuesday, July 26, to Saturday, July 30, with temperatures expected to be in the 90s possibly all of those days. 

The Weather Service Tuesday issued an excessive heat warning. High temperatures can cause health problems, especially for the very young, very old and people with certain medical conditions. Overnight temperatures in the 70s will provide limited relief from the heat.

Here are tips for staying healthy in the heat.

Anyone who will be outside for extended periods should drink plenty of water, seek shade whenever possible, use sunscreen with a high SPF and be alert to signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

If you’re inside without air conditioning, you may want to seek an alternative, such as a mall, movie theater, restaurant or library. The Marketplace at Factoria, Bellevue Collection and Crossroads Bellevue are all mall possibilities. The King County Library System is extending the Newport Way branch’s hours to 8 p.m. on Thursday, to provide additional cooling.

Water options and safety

For those who want to swim, lifeguards are on duty daily at Enatai, Chism and Clyde beach parks, noon to 7 p.m. Meydenbauer Bay and Newcastle Beach parks are closed for swimming until further notice due to high bacteria levels in Lake Washington. Lifeguards just returned to Enatai this week, after repair of the boathouse there was completed.

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

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. 

Source: City News