Bay Area braces for another round of high heat Thursday
Temperatures comparatively cooler in Napa on Wednesday, but don't hold your breath
Many communities are bracing for another stifling, hot day as temperatures were comparatively cooler on Wednesday. On Thursday, the mercury is set to rise again. The Napa Senior Center will serve as a city-designated cooling center.
NAPA, Calif. - Much of the Bay Area is bracing for another day of stiflingly hot weather on Thursday after getting a bit of reprieve on Wednesday from the excessive heat.
"If it was yesterday, it would be horrible," said Debbie Brace, who used Wednesday’s comparatively cooler temperatures in Napa to get in a game of bocce with her friends. During the game, temperatures hovered around the low nineties, which the group said was pleasant compared to Tuesday’s record high of 114 degrees.
Still, many residents in the city without access to air conditioning, described Wednesday's weather as too hot to tolerate indoors. Some took refuge in the Napa Senior Center, a designated city cooling center.
"I’ve never seen anything where the weather has been this particularly high before, and it’s also not cooled off in the evenings," said Michelle Singh, who spent the afternoon in the center with her daughter.
Another family who sat nearby, said that their entire apartment complex's AC system was down.
"We decided to come over here to get cold," said Diana Rodriquez. "It’s the third day we’ve been here."
Meantime, across the hall, Margaret Dibb spent the day cooling off with her pup Wally.
"When it’s this hot during the day, it’s something to be taken seriously," said Margaret Dibb.
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Dibb said she didn't want to take any chances on Wednesday after suffering a bout of heat exhaustion earlier in the week which landed her in the hospital.
"I thought I was going to pass out, and I was leaning up against the wall, and this really nice lady, who I never met before, stood behind me and blocked me with her body and called 911."
In neighboring Sonoma County, Santa Rosa Fire Marshal, said he was hoping that others would follow Dibb's lead on Thursday, and stay safe, allowing his team to focus on the heightened fire danger.
"Granted it does feel a lot cooler than when you were dealing with 115 degrees yesterday, but it’s still 100 degrees out today, and with the potential for it to go right back up tomorrow, so we’re hopeful that people continue to take it easy," said Santa Rosa Fire Marshal, Paul Lowenthal. "Stay hydrated, limit those outdoor activities, and stay in a cool environment until we get out of the heat advisory."