A heat advisory was put into effect this week to warn Bay Area residents of the dangers to the elderly, infirm, and the very young. Cooling centers have been set up in some Bay Area cities for those most vulnerable.
San Francisco's current record high temperature for Aug. 24 -- 89 degrees in 2003 -- will be broken today if the city hits its predicted high in the low 90s, weather service forecaster Diana Henderson said this morning.
The good news for those who don't appreciate the high temperatures is that the heat wave won't last long.
Temperatures are expected to decrease by nearly 20 degrees in most areas by the weekend, with San Francisco dropping from today's expected high of 92 to 73 degrees on Wednesday.
San Jose will dip from 102 today to 94 on Wednesday, and coastal areas around the Monterey Bay will drop to about 70 degrees on Wednesday from today's anticipated high of about 87 degrees, Henderson said.
The Petaluma Fire Department has opened a cooling center at the Petaluma Community Center for Sonoma County residents who want to escape the heat.
The center, at 320 N. McDowell Blvd. in Petaluma, will provide air conditioning and ice water to anyone who signs in.
The Santa Clara County Office of Emergency Services has opened cooling centers in Campbell, Cupertino, and Morgan Hill. Details about the centers and tips on how to beat the heat can be found on the county's website at www.sccgov.org.
The Campbell cooling center is at the Campbell Community Center, located at 1 West Campbell Ave. It will be open today from 1 to 8 p.m.
Cupertino Parks and Recreation's Quinlan Community Center, at 10185 North Stelling Road, will be open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. through Thursday; from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday; and from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.
In Morgan Hill, the Centennial Recreation Center at 171 W. Edmundson Ave. will be open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. through Friday; 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday; and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Ten additional centers are being opened up this afternoon in San Jose. For information on the San Jose locations, residents should call (408) 793-5589.
County emergency services officials in San Mateo, Napa, Solano, and Marin counties all said that no cooling centers have been set up because the heat wave will be so short.
