Excessive heat is about to hit. Here’s how to escape it around Stanislaus County
If you don’t know Stanislaus County is being hit by a heatwave, perhaps you’ve been living under a rock. Come to think of it, with its nice, damp soil, that actually could be pretty cool, temperaturewise.
The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for the region from 2 p.m. Wednesday through 9 p.m. Saturday.
Daily high temperatures during the period are predicted to reach near 100 degrees Wednesday, 108 Thursday and Friday and 105 Saturday. Overnight lows of 71 to 74 degrees will bring little relief.
According to the weather service’s seven-day forecast for Modesto and surrounding areas, even Sunday will be in the triple digits. The high could be near 102 that day, before dropping to near 96 Monday and near 90 Tuesday.
The heat warning means the general population, not just children, the elderly and the ill, will be impacted by heat this week, the weather service says. Those who work outside or otherwise are outdoors are urged to stay hydrated, avoid being in the sun and avoid strenuous activities between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Find air conditioning, the weather service urges. If you don’t have air conditioning in your home or workplace to keep up with the rising temperatures, it might be a good time to go grocery shopping, visit the mall or take in a movie, now that theaters have reopened.
Nothing beats the heat like water, either — both getting it in you and getting yourself in it.
The city of Modesto has water play areas at Coffee-Claratina, Freedom, Sanders, Rogers, Graceada and Ustach parks, and at Lions Junction on the Virginia Corridor.
Turlock has splash pads open daily at its Broadway and Columbia parks. The Columbia pool remains closed.
In Turlock, the farmers market announced on its Facebook page that to ensure the safety of vendors and visitors, it’s closing an hour early Saturday. It will be open 8 a.m. to noon.
Woodward and Modesto reservoirs are open, but in mid-May, California State Parks announced the immediate full closure of the Turlock Lake State Recreation Area. It said the closure will remain in effect as the state and Turlock Irrigation District secure a new operator for the park.
Stanislaus County has an online list of cooling zones that includes all public library branches, the Ceres and Hughson community centers, the Modesto and Turlock transit centers and the lobbies of the Patterson and Waterford city halls.
The list also includes the Riverbank and Empire community pools.
The Riverbank pool, 6649 Seventh St., is open weekdays from noon to 3:30 p.m. It costs $2.
In Empire, the kiddie pool is closed for maintenance until Monday. The big pool is open, and walk-ins are welcome, but priority will be given to those who make reservations. To make a reservation, visit www.stanislauscountypal.getonmify.com.
The pool is at the corner of I Street and Yosemite Boulevard. It is open Tuesdays through Saturdays and there are three sessions daily: noon to 1:30 p.m., 2 to 3:30 p.m. and 4 to 5:30 p.m. Cost is $4.
This story was originally published June 16, 2021 at 1:08 PM.
