Heat Advisory for Somerville Thursday, June 19: Take Precautions to Stay Safe and Cool 

High heat is expected in Somerville and the region on Thursday with actual temperatures in the 90s and feels-like temperatures around 100 degrees. At this time, the National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory for Thursday. Community members are encouraged to review ways to stay cool, healthy, and safe. The forecasted conditions can cause heat illness if proper precautions are not taken. 

Cooling Center: 

• The East Branch of the Somerville Library (115 Broadway) will be open as a cooling center from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 19.
• All other library branches and City buildings are closed on Thursday in observance of Juneteenth. 

Outdoor Water Features in Somerville: 

• Many Somerville city parks have water features that run from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• The water sprays are on timers and stop for 20 minutes between cycles. All splash pads are currently open for 2025 with the exception of Conway Park and Dickerson Playground.
• Water feature information is available in multiple languages under the “Stay Cool Outside” section of the City’s Keeping Cool in Hot Weather webpage at gov/keepcool. 

Pools:

Please note pools are not open until Friday and Saturday.

• Dilboy Pool opens for the season on Friday, June 20, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Regular hours are daily 11 a.m. -7 p.m. for all guests with early morning lap swim time Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
  • Admission is free.
  • More information at myrec.com.
• Latta Brothers Memorial Pool at Foss Park is a state-managed pool and is scheduled to open Saturday, June 21. 

Heat safety tips:

Heat safety tips and ways to keep cool in and around Somerville are included below. Safety tips are also available in multiple languages and can be found on the City’s Keeping Cool in Hot Weather webpage at somervillema.gov/keepcool.  

Important:   

• Never leave children or pets unattended in a car or other vehicle, even for a quick errand and even if the windows are open.  
• Drink plenty of water. Avoid alcoholic beverages and drinks with caffeine or large amounts of sugar.  
• Reduce time spent in direct sun and wear sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses when outside.  
• Limit outdoor activity to the morning and evening hours. Avoid strenuous activity during the hottest part of the day, which is typically 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 
• Follow City social media pages and contact 311 for the latest information on places you can visit to cool off.  MOre information is available at somervillema.gov/socialmedia and somervillema.gov/311.   

Take Care of Yourself and Others:   

• Wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing.   
• Take frequent breaks if working outdoors. Take your breaks in the shade if you can. 
• If you are walking or cycling during hot weather, bring water with you, seek shady routes, and be sure to take a break if you start to feel overheated.
• For parents/guardians: You can help avoid burns by checking if playground equipment is hot to the touch. If so, it is too hot for a child’s bare skin. Limit playtime at peak sun exposure time and familiarize yourself with the signs and symptoms of heat illnesses. 
• Check on relatives, friends, and neighbors who don’t have air conditioning, who spend much of their time alone, or who are more likely to be affected by the heat. These groups may include older adults, infants and children, people with chronic medical conditions, and people who are pregnant.  
• If you see individuals out in the heat who appear immobile or disoriented, please call 911 so they can receive the necessary help. 

Learn to Recognize Signs and Symptoms of Heat Illnesses:   

• Heat cramps  
  • Look for: heavy sweating during intense exercise, muscle pain, spasms  
  • If you have heat cramps: stop physical activity, move to a cool place, and drink water or a sports drink. Wait for cramps to go away before you do any more physical activity and get medical help if cramps last longer than one hour, you’re on a low-sodium diet, or you have heart problems.  
• Heat exhaustion  
  • Look for: heavy sweating; cold, pale, and clammy skin; a fast, weak pulse; nausea or vomiting; muscle cramps; tiredness or weakness; dizziness; headache; fainting  
  • If you expect heat exhaustion, move to a cool place, loosen your clothes, put wet towels on your body or take a cool bath, and sip water. Get medical help if you are vomiting, your symptoms get worse, or your symptoms last longer than one hour.  
• Heat stroke  
  • If someone is showing signs of heat stroke call 911 immediately. Heat stroke is a medical emergency. Signs of heat stroke include a body temperature over 103°F; hot, red, dry, or damp skin; a fast and strong pulse; nausea; headache, dizziness or confusion; and possible unconsciousness. While waiting for help to arrive, move the person to a cool area and help cool them down with wet towels or a cool bath. DON’T give them fluids.  

Tips For Pet Parents:   

• Don’t leave pets outside for long periods of time.  
• Provide plenty of fresh water and, if outside, leave the water in a shady area.  
• Don’t let dogs linger on hot asphalt during high temperatures.  
• Know the symptoms of overheating in pets, which include excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, mild weakness, stupor, or collapse.   
• Animals with flat faces, like Pugs and Persian cats, are more susceptible to heat stroke since they cannot pant as effectively. These pets, along with pets that are older, overweight, or have heart or lung diseases, should be kept cool in air-conditioned rooms as much as possible.  
• Don’t leave pets unsupervised around a pool or other body of water.  
• Again, never leave your pet in your car or vehicle, even if the windows are open. 

Other Ways to Stay Cool:  

With access to the Green Line and other public transportation, you can also visit nearby communities that offer water features or pools:    

• Visit the Parks and Fields page on arlingtonma.gov
• Visit boston.gov/heat for places to stay cool, pools, and splash pads
• Visit cambridgema.gov/CDD/parks for a Waterplay Map
• Visit the Recreation Page on medfordma.org for parks and playgrounds
• Visit mass.gov/swimming for a list of state-managed Swimming Pools, Wading Pools and Spray Decks 

During hot weather, more people cool off in and around bodies of water. Learn how to keep yourself and others safe in and around water by reviewing Water Safety tips provided by the Commonwealth at mass.gov/water-safety.   

 Sign up for City Alerts:   

Community members are encouraged to sign up for City Alerts to receive timely information about emergencies and other important community news. You can choose to receive alerts either by email, phone, text, or all three in multiple languages. You can update your alert preferences at any time. Visit somervillema.gov/alerts.   

Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact Adrienne Pomeroy in advance at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or apomeroy@somervillema.gov.   

If you need assistance translating or understanding this information, please call 311 (617-666-3311) or contact us at somerviva@somervillema.gov. The City of Somerville can provide you with an interpreter for free.