Washington, D.C. (Wednesday, May 8, 2019) – It’s not quite summer yet. But the hazy, hot, and humid days have hit the DMV. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the current temperature in Washington, DC is 91 degrees with a feel of 95 degrees, sunny and dry. All around town people are finding creative ways to stay cool while they go about their day. Experts say the key is to stay out of the sun whenever possible and to make sure you drink plenty of water. It’s also a good time to indulge a bit with a scoop of your favorite ice cream.
But there are some dangerous sides to this heat and District officials are not taking any chances. Because the expected high for today is 94 degrees with heat index values as high as 98 degrees, Mayor Bowser has activated the District’s Heat Emergency Plan. When the temperature or heat index in the District reaches 95 degrees, District Government, through the Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA), will implement the Heat Emergency Plan and activate cooling centers for residents to seek relief. Residents needing a cool place to be are encouraged to utilize any library or recreation center during their normal business hours, or the Adams Place Day Center.
For information about services provided during an Extreme Heat Warning, go to heat.dc.gov or call the Mayor’s Citywide Call Center by dialing 311. Residents can register to receive Heat Emergency alerts on their devices at alertdc.dc.gov.
Cooling Centers:
Cooling Centers are activated in publicly accessible government facilities, homeless shelters, and senior citizen wellness centers, and remain open until 6:00 p.m. or until it has been deemed safe to be outdoors. To request transportation to a cooling center for a resident experiencing homelessness, call the hyperthermia hotline at (202) 399-7093. Residents can find their closest cooling center using the District’s interactive map.
Safety Precautions:
The public can limit heat exposure by:
Staying indoors
Drinking plenty of liquids and avoiding drinks with caffeine and alcohol
Limiting sun exposure, especially between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., when the sun is the strongest
Applying sunscreen at least 20 minutes before going outdoors
Wearing light-colored, lightweight clothing
Low-Barrier Shelters:
The Downtown Daytime Services Center (1313 New York Avenue, NW) will be open on Wednesday, May 29 until 5:00 p.m.
Low-Barrier shelters for individuals operate year-round. Due to high temperatures, low-barrier shelters will be open all day on Wednesday, May 29 with the exception of Nativity Shelter, which opens at 7:00 p.m.
Men
· New York Avenue Shelter at 1355-57 New York Avenue, NE
· 801 East Shelter at 801 Making Life Better Lane, SE
· Adams Place Shelter 2210 Adams Place, NE
Women
· Nativity Shelter at 6010 Georgia Avenue, NW (Opens at 7:00 p.m.)
· Harriet Tubman, DC General Building at 27 1900 Massachusetts Avenue, SE
· Patricia Handy Place for Women at 810 5th Street, NW
· Community for Creative Non-Violence (CCNV) at 425 Second Street, NW
Families seeking emergency shelter can call 311 at any time day or night. When the DC Government is open, families may also visit the Virginia Williams Family Resource Center at 920 Rhode Island Avenue, NE, Monday – Thursday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. and Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.