The National Weather Service has issued a excessive heat warning for the entire Bay Area through Monday morning. Residents are advised to drink plenty of fluids, avoid the sun, and to check in on disabled and elderly friends, family, and neighbors.
The current Oakland heat advisory is in effect from 11am today until until 9 PM tonight but temperatures are projected to reach the upper 90s to 105 degrees, with some locations predicted to be as hot as 115°.
Due to the heat island effect, urban centers can be as much as five degrees hotter than less developed areas, boosting neighborhood temperatures even higher.
For Oaklanders looking to beat the heat, here are some short-term solutions:
Cooling Centers
The city maintains four cooling centers, in downtown, East Oakland, Fruitvale, and North Oakland. The four locations are open to seniors, people with medical conditions, and individuals with disabilities, as well as infants and young children.
- East Bay Korean American Senior Service Center, 1723 Telegraph Ave.
- 510‐763‐0736 (Korean)
- 510‐763‐1879 (English)
- East Oakland Senior Center, 9255 Edes Ave.
- 510‐615‐5731
- Fruitvale‐San Antonio Senior Center 3301 E. 12th Street, Suite 201
- 510‐535‐6123
While the centers provide some respite from the heat, they do not provide entertainment, so bring books, games, or other means of passing the time and call beforehand to check hours before arrival.
Save Energy
The agency that manages the state’s power grid has issued a Flex Alert for today; between 1pm and 10pm, people are asked to conserve power, particularly during the peak of the afternoon’s heat.
According to the Independent System Operator, “forecasts for today show an all-time record demand for electricity.”
To help prevent blackouts and brownouts, utility customers are asked to close their drapes, avoid using major appliances, and use fans to stay cool, setting their air conditioners to 78 degrees.
It’s a good week for salads, sandwiches, sushi and other foods that don’t require cooking. Die-hard cooks can get their barbecue on without running afoul of spare the air alerts.
To create a cross-breeze, open windows, and set up a box fan to push out hot air. Unplug unused electronics, which also release heat, and turn off lights in unoccupied rooms.
Go Swimming
Tomorrow, city-run deFremery Pool (1269 18th St.) has its official grand re-opening at 10am. Admission is free, and the facility has been substantially renovated, with a new quarts pool surface, underwater racing markers and LED lights, and other improvements.
There are five other public pools in Oakland:
- Fremont Pool, 4550 Foothill Blvd.
- Live Oak Pool, 1055 MacArthur Blvd.
- East Oakland Sports Center 9161 Edes Ave.
- Lions Pool 3860 Hanly Rd.
- Temescal Pool 371 - 45th St.
For operating hours, see Parks & Recreation's Aquatics page.
Eat Ice Cream
For Oaklanders who can’t make it to a cooling center, this week’s weather might make for a good excuse to indulge in some good old fashioned means of staying cool.
The Bay Area has 15 of the top 50 ice creameries in the country, including Fenton’s Creamery (4226 Piedmont Ave.) and the new Humphry Slocombe ice cream location at The Hive.
