WEST SEATTLE WEATHER: Alert upgraded to Excessive Heat Warning; help us build the definitive where-to-be-cool list

(Photo by Jerry Simmons)

You’ve been hearing about it for days, and now that the heat wave is closer, the National Weather Service has upgraded its alert to an Excessive Heat Warning, in effect 2 pm Friday through 9 pm Monday. And the Sunday/Monday forecasts have added a few more degrees – here are the next four days, daypart by daypart:

FRIDAY…Sunny. Highs in the 80s. North wind 10 to 15 mph.

FRIDAY NIGHT…Clear. Lows in the mid to upper 60s. North wind 10 to 15 mph decreasing to 10 mph or less after midnight.

SATURDAY…Sunny. Highs in the 90s. North wind to 10 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon.

SATURDAY NIGHT…Clear. Lows near 70. North wind 10 to 15 mph becoming northeast after midnight.

SUNDAY…Sunny. Highs 98 to 104.

SUNDAY NIGHT…Clear. Lows in the lower to mid 70s.

MONDAY…Sunny. Highs 100 to 106.

Seattle’s all-time record high was 103 degrees on July 29, 2009 – here’s what happened on that day (including a house fire and an overcome-by-the-heat boater).

Since many Seattle houses/apartments don’t have air conditioning, it’s always a hot question when the weather gets mega-hot: Where can you go to cool off? We’re asking for your help in building a definitive list of where to go, considering that not all venues have reopened (yet). The city has started it off with this roundup – including:

Delridge Branch Library (5423 Delridge Way SW)
Open from 10 am to 6 pm Mondays and Wednesdays 

High Point Branch Library (3411 SW Raymond)
Open from 10 am to 6 pm Wednesdays and Fridays; noon to 6 p.m. Sundays 

Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon)
Hours: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Mondays – Fridays

If you have a suggestion – please comment below or email us at westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

P.S. Two more city notes from the roundup – Seattle Public Utilities will close the transfer stations (including South) at 2 pm Sunday and Monday. Also, solid-waste pickup on Monday will be an hour earlier – so have your carts out at 6 am.

Joe Z June 24, 2021 (7:08 pm)

Sea-Tac airport might be 105 but with a brisk afternoon wind off the water it won’t be any warmer than the low 80s on Alki beach.

Kersti Muul June 24, 2021 (7:40 pm)

Please leave water out for wildlife

The Rog June 24, 2021 (9:26 pm)

Thank you Kersti, I was just about to post the same thing.
justthinking June 24, 2021 (9:55 pm)

Thank you, Kersti! I came to post the same thing! Create a homemade bird bath. Start tonight so they know where to find it by Sunday and Monday when they are really having a hard time. Put some bird feed near it to help orient them. Also, don’t forget the unsheltered humans. Frozen water bottles can cool them down AND provided needed hydration when they thaw.Take care all.
anonyme June 25, 2021 (6:12 am)

Ditto all of the above, and I would add that it helps to keep the water in a cool location, and/or refresh it once it warms up too much. Most critters prefer cool water (including us). I’m also making some tuna popsicles for my cat.
ThatCrazyTeacher June 25, 2021 (8:43 am)

We freeze zip-top bags of water then put the frozen chunks in water dishes for the wildlife.A Forest & Wildlife conservationist chided me for doing that saying, “Animals survive in the wild without our help. Do you really think they need this?” I reminded them that (1) we have damaged their natural coping mechanisms to the point that (at least in inhabited areas) they *do* need us to compensate for the interference; (2) there are stray and feral animals who no longer have the skills to find ways to cool down. So ~on behalf of the animals~ thank you Kersti, and thank you everyone who has the wherewithal look outside their own backyard and see the need.

no'smores June 24, 2021 (8:29 pm)

Thankfully the sound is all around to cool off in.

Is there any beach access around that is okay for dogs to swim? Asking for all the hot dogs.

I wonder how much these temperatures will warm the water, and if marine life will be okay.

StopCuttingDownTrees June 24, 2021 (9:24 pm)

The heat wave may warm Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish a tiny bit (a degree or two), and definitely Greenlake and other smaller, shallow lakes. But the Sound is almost 1000 feet deep off of the Magnolia Bluff, is hundreds of feet deep in most areas, is fed by melting snow via ice-cold rivers, and is constantly replenished by the Pacific Ocean. The Sound naturally warms late each summer when the feed rivers aren’t as icy-cold, anyway.

mok4315 June 24, 2021 (9:37 pm)

We’ve got AC AND otter pops at the Admiral Theater! -Marina

WSB June 24, 2021 (9:59 pm)

Definitely the Admiral is on the list! Good to know about the Otter Pops!
Annika June 24, 2021 (11:27 pm)

Yessssss!!!

ross June 24, 2021 (10:22 pm)

West Seattle Coworking Has AC if anybody needs to get work done this weekend. and we offer day passes. just email us at manager@westseattlecoworking.com

Suzanne Krom June 25, 2021 (5:47 am)

Remember that our birdbaths also support pollinators, including honeybees. It’s important that the water is clean so pathogens aren’t transmitted — in this heat bacteria multiplies quickly so please clean/disinfect them regularly. Two ways to do this —

To clean: Scrub them clean then rinse thoroughly. Fill with fresh water. (This won’t disinfect them.)

To disinfect: Fill the birdbath with cold water and add enough chlorine bleach to create ~10% solution. Cover it completely with a garbage can lid so no bird or pollinator can get in. Let sit covered for at least 20 minutes (overnight is better). Rinse thoroughly.

Rinsing is as important as cleaning/disinfecting. Any residual soap or bleach can kill honeybees. My rule of thumb: It should be clean enough that I would feel safe drinking the water.

Stan June 25, 2021 (8:06 am)

When putting out water for birds use a broad bowl that is filled with small stones so there is somewhere to perch. Put it in the shade and fill it again when it gets overly warm. Birds already have a high metabolism and finding fresh water to cool down becomes more difficult in the heat.

ThirstingforLeadership June 25, 2021 (8:34 am)

Great to think about water for pets but what about water for humans? Running along Alki yesterday I hit Duwamish Head area which is a popular lookout and the water fountain still isn’t working. Same for the one near the rest rooms south of there. A quick Google search yielded this KIRO story that says that 80% of fountains in the City are still not working and the City doesn’t expect them to activate them until July. This is abjectly irresponsible. In the meantime, the City of Vancouver, BC is bringing in temp drinking fountains to augment the 200 already working in their city. Get it together, Seattle! https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/80-seattle-park-drinking-fountains-dont-work-heatwave-ahead/L4XS4DSU4BCXROBXI5FEQC7T3A/ 

MM June 25, 2021 (8:44 am)

Yesterday I was running the sprinkler and it was hitting the low branches of a tree . . . A bunch of tiny birds flew into the branches to enjoy the spray. So that’s one easy way to cool down the birdies. A birdbath / bowls are also good ideas.

Roxy June 25, 2021 (9:06 am)

Dude, gotta read your own blotter; no boater overcome by heat, just inexperienced kayaker and misinterpretation by bystander: https://westseattleblog.com/2009/07/water-rescue-call-in-1600-block-of-harbor-ave-sw/

anonyme June 25, 2021 (9:24 am)

Consider offering seniors rides to cooling centers. Transportation options are terrible around here, many bus rides require impossibly long walks to reach stops and destinations, and shuttles require long advance scheduling. A cooling center isn’t of much use to those who have no way to get there, or back.

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