With stifling heat expected Friday and Saturday, local governments are taking steps to help people cool off.
Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren has declared a heat emergency for Friday and Saturday. During a ‘Cool Sweep Heat Emergency’ R-Centers and libraries are opened to serve as cooling centers, hydrants are opened and hours at Genesee Valley Park Pool are extended. City spray parks and pools are open regular hours, but other programs are suspended so everyone can use those facilities.
Monroe County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo says that public swimming hours at Ontario Beach Park will be extended from Thursday through Saturday. Lifeguards will be on duty and public swimming will be allowed for one extra hour until 8pm as long as conditions are favorable.
The National Weather Service has issued an 'Excessive Heat Warning' from Friday afternoon through Saturday afternoon.
News 8 Meteorologist Josh Nichols says while the air temperature will be in the low 90s on Friday and mid 90s on Saturday, the heat index, which measures how it feels with the humidity, will rise above 100 degrees.
That can cause health problems for some people, and you are advised to slow down on strenuous activities outdoors and drink plenty of water and other non-alcohol and decaffeinated fluids.
Sunday should bring some relief, after showers and thunderstorms move through the area.
