Philly issues heat health emergency as temperature approaches 100 degrees

UPDATE: City officials have extended the heat health emergency. Instead of expiring on midnight Monday, it will now end Tuesday at midnight. Philadelphia health commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley extended the emergency due to a forecast of high heat temperatures during the day Tuesday, and high overnight low temperatures.

Philadelphia officials are activating various city services to keep residents safe and cool as extremely hot temperatures hit the region. 

The city issued a heat health emergency Monday from 8:30 a.m. to midnight. But with a heat wave forecasted to last through much of the week, city officials noted it could be extended. 

The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for the Philly region until 8 p.m. It encompasses all of Southeastern Pennsylvania and South Jersey.

The temperature on Monday is expected to reach a high of 98 degrees – with a heat index as high as 109, according to the National Weather Service. There is a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. The temperature is forecasted to drop to a low of 76 in the evening.

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City residents who are not feeling well due to the heat can call the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging's Heatline at (215) 765-9040. The city also is activating cooling sites and increasing homeless services support.  

The cooling sites will open from 1 to 5 p.m. at the locations listed below. Residents must abide by social distancing rules and wear a face covering. 

• Haddington Library, 446 N. 65th St.

• Lillian Marrero Library, 601 W. Lehigh Ave.

• Logan Library, 1333 Wagner Ave.

• West Philadelphia High School, 49th and Chestnut streets

• Kensington High School for Creative and Performing Arts, 1901 N. Front St.

• SEPTA cooling buses at Germantown and Allegheny avenues, Wyoming and Rising Sun avenues, Frankford and Allegheny avenues, and 52nd Street and Larchwood Avenue.

The city has 92 spraygrounds operating at designated Parks and Recreation facilities on weekdays from 3-7 p.m. and on weekends from 12-5 p.m. The city opened the spraygrounds because pools remain closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

 Philly officials also said they will provide cooling kits at 100 Playstreets locations throughout the city. These sites also distribute meals to youth and serve as volunteer-supervised activity centers. Cooling kits will include umbrellas, tents, mister fans, cooling rags and Super Soakers for kids.

Temperatures are expected to be extremely hot over the next several days, according to the National Weather Service forecast.

Tuesday’s forecast is calling for sun with a high near 95. Tuesday night should be mostly cloudy with a low of 76. There is a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms overnight.

Wednesday will be partly sunny with a high near 93. There is a 60% chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening. Those showers are expected to give way to mostly cloudy skies and a low of 76.

Thursday is expected to be partly sunny, with temperatures reaching as high as 92. There’s a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening hours. The evening is expected to bring partly cloudy skies and a low of 73.