DC Activates Emergency Plan Ahead of Summer’s First Heat Wave

WASHINGTON — D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has declared an extended heat emergency for the city, urging residents to stay cool and to check on elderly or vulnerable neighbors as temperatures are expected to reach 98 degrees by the end of the week.

The heat emergency declared by the mayor went into effect Monday morning, and currently extends through Friday, June 21.

The designation activates cooling centers throughout the city for residents who need them. Residents may find their closest cooling center using the district’s interactive map, located at heat.dc.gov.

Bryan A. Jackson, acting warning coordination meteorologist at the Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland, said that while the anticipated temperatures are on the high side for June, they’ll fall within the range of a typical summer heat wave in the central Mid-Atlantic region/Baltimore-Washington.

The problem is the wave’s timing, coming early, at a time when most people have yet to acclimate to the ordinary warmth of summer.

“This will be the first heat wave of the season, which yes can be more impactful than mid-summer heat waves,” Jackson said in an email to The Well News.

And to the heat, one has to add the impact of the humidity, which is also expected to stay high all week. That means the heat index will climb quite a bit higher than the actual temperature, reaching the low 100s by Thursday or Friday.

At that point, people should do everything they can to stay cool and be aware of the risk of heat stroke, heat cramps or heat exhaustion after long exposure or exercise outdoors. 

Washingtonians won’t be alone bearing the misery, of course.

This week’s heat wave will be widespread across the entire eastern half of the United States, and more than 135 million Americans are expected to experience temperatures above 90 degrees.

During this period, daily records will likely be shattered in the Midwest and Northeast, and there will be little, if any respite, as there is no rain in the forecast for most of the affected area and temperatures are likely to struggle to fall below 70 degrees at night.

The culprit behind all this hot and sticky weather is the so-called “heat dome” phenomenon, according to the National Weather Service.

A heat dome is a large area of high pressure that allows warm air in, but won’t let it escape. Thanks to the abundant sunshine that accompanies these conditions, the temperatures continue to rise as long as the dome lasts.

“The most anomalous aspect of this heat wave is over New England on Wednesday and Thursday, when the high temperatures will be 25 degrees or more above normal for those days,” Jackson said.

“The heat then shifts south to the central Mid-Atlantic/DC area for Friday and this weekend,” he said.

Forecasters have said the situation setting up over the nation’s capitol this week is similar to what the city saw in June 1994, when temperatures topped 90 degrees for 14 consecutive days. Overall , district residents saw 17 days where temperatures were 90 degrees or higher, tying a record set in June 1943.

Jackson said a few temperature records are at risk this time around as well.

“As of now [Monday morning] the record high temperature may be tied or broken on Saturday or Sunday and break the daily temperature record at Reagan National airport and BWI on Sunday,” he said.

The district’s Department of Human Services and the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency activate an extended heat emergency when the temperature or heat index is forecast to reach 95 degrees Fahrenheit or higher for at least four consecutive days. 

In addition to setting up cooling centers for residents seeking relief from the heat, additional outreach teams from DHS, the United Planning Organization, the Interagency Council on Homelessness, and the Department of Aging and Community Living will be mobilized during this period to conduct welfare checks and encourage individuals to seek relief from the heat indoors. 

Bowser urged residents to call the shelter hotline for unsheltered residents in need of free, accessible transportation to a cooling center. 

To request accessible transportation to a cooling center for yourself or someone else, call the shelter hotline at (202) 399-7093 or dial 311.

She also emphasized that it is important for residents to recognize the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and stroke. 

These may include dry red skin, convulsions, throbbing headaches, disorientation, chills, delirium and coma. 

Onset of heatstroke can be rapid; a person can go from feeling apparently well to a seriously ill condition within minutes. 

Anyone who suspects they or someone they know is experiencing a heat-related illness, call 911.  

In 2023, there were 2,302 heat-related deaths across the country, a 34% increase from 2022.

Extreme Heat Safety Precautions: 

Help protect yourself and others from extreme hot weather by: 

• Staying indoors when possible: find places in the shade or with air conditioning to seek relief from the heat.  Visit heat.dc.gov for a list of cooling centers. 
• Checking in on your neighbors: young children, older adults, and those with disabilities or other access and functional needs are the most vulnerable in our community.  
• Drinking plenty of fluids: increase your fluid intake but avoid liquids that contain alcohol, caffeine, or large amounts of sugar.  
• Keeping pets indoors: walk pets early in the morning, give pets plenty of water and do not leave pets in vehicles, which can reach dangerous temperatures within 10 minutes. For all animal emergencies, including animals left outside in extreme temperatures or in vehicles, please call the Humane Rescue Alliance at (202) 723-5730.  
• Wearing appropriate clothing and sunscreen: pick lightweight, loose fitting, light-colored clothing, and wide brimmed hats. Using SPF 15 or higher sunscreen is best. 

Low-Barrier Shelters: 

All low-barrier shelters for individuals experiencing homelessness operate year-round and remain open 24 hours. 

Men 

• 801 East Shelter at 2722 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE. 
• Adams Place Shelter at 2210 Adams Place NE. 
• New York Avenue Shelter at 1355-57 New York Avenue NE. 
• Emery Shelter at 1725 Lincoln Road NE. 

Women 

• Harriet Tubman Shelter for Women, DC General Building 9 at 1900 Massachusetts Avenue SE. 
• Patricia Handy Place for Women Extension at 1009 11th Street NW. 

LGBTQ+ 

• Living Life Alternatively at 400 50th Street SE. 

The Cooling Center at the Downtown Day Services Center located at 1313 New York Avenue NW is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Walk-in services are available to guests with no appointment required. Entry will be permitted on a first-come, first-served basis. Available walk-in services include showers, laundry, medical and mental health treatment, computer access, electronic/mobile device charging, housing case management, employment counseling, harm reduction services, legal counseling and other vital services. Full capacity lunch services will continue Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Overflow Sites: 

• Emery Men’s Shelter at 1725 Lincoln Road NE, 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. 
• Eve’s Place at 2210B Adam’s Place NE, 8:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. 

Spray Parks, Outdoor Pools and Indoor Pools: 

District spray parks are now open for daily operations. Spray parks are open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. View a full list of spray parks and locations at dpr.dc.gov/sprayparks. 

Dan can be reached at [email protected] and at https://twitter.com/DanMcCue