Stay cool out there! The City of Seattle and King County have listed some tips, resources and places to go to beat the heat. 

File photo by Patrick Robinson

The temperatures are forecast to be in the 90's all week which means you might need to cool off. Only 40% of homes in the greater Seattle area have air conditioning so the City of Seattle and King County have some tips on how to stay cool and some places to go to keep yourself comfortable.

Here's the forecast from the National Weather Service this week for our area.

Information from the City of Seattle

The City of Seattle is working together with our regional partners to prepare for these extreme temperatures including monitoring critical infrastructure and air quality and providing resources to help keep residents cool. Cooling centers will be available across the city, and outreach teams are on the ground working with our most vulnerable residents to prevent heat illness in these extreme conditions. 

We encourage everyone in Seattle to take extreme heat seriously and act with caution this week. You can take simple steps to help prevent heat related illness and death. 

For more information from Public Health – Seattle & King County about heat safety, including information in multiple languages, visit KingCounty.gov/BeatTheHeat.

Cooling centers are open across the city at libraries, community centers, and other facilities. City-affiliated sites are listed below. Anyone visiting a cooling center is encouraged wear a mask and maintain distance from people from outside your household to prevent the spread of COVID. Many local businesses also offer air-conditioned spaces. 

Four Seattle Community Centers have air conditioning and will be open to serve as cooling centers beginning July 26th through at least July 28th from 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM each day. 

The Central Library and 17 branches of The Seattle Public Library have air conditioning. Everyone is welcome to come in, cool down and stay hydrated during open hours. The nine branches that do not currently air conditioning may need to close if temperatures inside exceed 80 degrees for over an hour.  

For a current list of air-conditioned library hours and updates about closures, please visit spl.org/Today. 

Please call ahead to confirm hours and availability. All sites listed below have air conditioning.

Seattle Parks and Recreation offers a variety of pools, spray parks, wading pools, lifeguarded beaches, and other recreational sites. For a full listing of these sites and their hours of operation, visit the Seattle Parks and Recreation website.  

Resources for People Experiencing Homelessness  

The King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) manages the overall emergency response for unsheltered people in Seattle and the King County region, leading all contract holder engagement and coordination for emergency preparations and planning.  In anticipation of the heat wave this week, KCRHA has activated its Tier 1 response and is making funding of up to $2,000 available to homeless service providers to support those living unsheltered countywide.  

The Human Services Department’s HOPE Team, in partnership with outreach providers, will be providing water, performing welfare checks, sharing information on cooling center locations, and making referrals into shelters throughout the week. 

For a list of indoor daytime cooling spaces operated in partnership with KCRHA municipal and provider partners from Tuesday, July 25th through Friday, July 29th, visit KCRHA.org/Severe-Weather-Update.

Protecting Critical Infrastructure and Maintaining City Services

Extreme heat can damage our roads as expanding pavement gets pushed up creating “buckles” in the road. Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) crews are standing ready to respond to potential road damage and will prioritize repairs based on public safety and impact to the traveling public. The public can report road damage by calling 206-684-ROAD, emailing 684-ROAD@seattle.gov or using the Find It, Fix It app.

SDOT crews will also spray cool water on Ballard, Fremont, and University Bridges throughout the day to help reduce the risk of the draw bridges’ movable steel parts expanding and getting stuck. Travelers should plan for brief closures of similar length to normal draw bridge openings. SDOT will continue these cool water baths as long as temperatures remain above 85 degrees.

Seattle City Light anticipates adequate resources to meet load increases associated with expected high temperatures. If we experience any unplanned outages, heat-related or otherwise, we are staffing so crews are positioned to respond.

The Seattle Fire Department will be prepared to respond to any heat-related medical emergencies and fires. All residents can take steps to help prevent brush fires from occurring in these hot weather conditions, including properly discarding of smoking materials and ensuring vehicles don’t cause sparks on roadways. If you or someone you observe is showing signs of heat stroke, call 911 immediately (temperature above 103 degrees, nausea or vomiting, loss of consciousness, rapid and strong pulse, throbbing headache/confusion, no sweating). The Seattle Fire Department’s Health One team will operate during the hot weather stretch from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day, focusing on assisting outreach partners, coordinating transport of some individuals to cooling centers and providing proactive outreach to clients the unit serves. All Health One rigs are supplied with ice, cold beverages, and other items for heat emergencies. 

Since the historic and deadly heat events of Summer 2021, the City of Seattle has worked with regional partners, subject matter experts including the National Weather Service and the University of Washington, and communities most impacted by heat and environmental injustice, such as seniors, primary caregivers for children, communities of color, and people experiencing homelessness, to improve our extreme heat planning and response. 

In addition to the above actions the City is taking to respond to this week’s heat event, we are taking long term steps to reduce our contributions to climate change, mitigate its impacts on our community, and plan ahead to build a more sustainable future: 

Local malls (The Outlet Collection in Auburn, The Bellevue Collection in Bellevue, Westlake Center in Seattle, Westfield Southcenter Mall in Tukwila, Alderwood Mall in Lynnwood), libraries, and movie theaters are all good places to cool off.

King County Library System Most libraries will be open and can be used as cooling shelters. Check for locations and times.

Public Health – Seattle & King County has tips on staying safe during hot weather.

Cooling centers and shelters for people experiencing homelessness can also be found at the King County Regional Homeless Authority website.

Below are cooling centers in the King County region. Please check the links for times of operations and locations. Most open on Tuesday, July 26. 

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