ST. LOUIS — Thursday marks the first official day of summer, also known as summer solstice. It will be the longest and one of the hottest days St. Louis has seen this year.
If you need some relief, you can cool down at any of the nearly 20 cooling centers across St. Louis city. These cooling centers are inside libraries, community centers and churches. They provide air conditioning, water and relief from the heat. Hours vary at the cooling centers, but most are open from sun up to sun down.
If you live on the north side, there are multiple including the Northside Youth and Senior Center on Maffitt Avenue. On the south side, there's a cooling center at the Buder Library Branch on Hampton Avenue. If you live close to downtown there are many to choose from, including the Christ Church Cathedral on Locust Street.
For a full list of the city's cooling centers, you can click here.
Meteorologists forecast Thursday to be a hot and humid day with highs in the mid-90s. The evening heat index is expected to be over 100.
Symptoms you could feel based on the heat index:
- At 80 degrees, you'll possibly experience some fatigue.
- When it reaches 90 degrees, you could start experiencing heat stroke, heat cramps and heat exhaustion.
- When the heat index jumps even higher to 105, you could suffer from heat stroke due to prolonged exposure.
- With heat indexes at 115 or higher, you'll most likely experience heat stroke and sunstroke.
How much water you should drink if you plan to be outside for long periods:
- If you're in the heat for an hour you need to be drinking one to two bottles of water.
- Spending four hours outside, you'll need four to eight bottles of water.
- And spending eight hours outside means you need to drink eight to 16 bottles of water.
Founder and Director of Cool Down St. Louis Gentry Trotter said elderly people are the most at risk. Trotter said since the program has begun, they've given out 25,000 air conditioners, adding the need is greater than ever this year. He said they've already received dozens of requests from people needing air conditioners that don't have any. They are prioritizing helping people with no air condition who are elderly or people living with disabilities.
"They're the ones who take the chances, they're the ones who refuse to turn on their air conditioner because they're worried about utility bills and we take care of that with Ameren to resolve that issue. They're the ones who are on medication, and this heat intensifies their medical conditions," Trotter said.
"We have been in homes where it's [the heat has] knocked us out. They heat just bellows out. That's dangerous, how can you live like that? We want to save those people so they can have a chance. All you have to know is heat exhaustion and heat related illnesses and the next step is death," Trotter said.
The organization has dozens of community partners to make help happen and even helps people who've had their power shut off due to lack of payment. If you need help during the summer or winter, click here.
"We urge the public who are paying rent to deadbeat landlords to turn them into the BBB, or municipal officials in their area. They have a moral, if not a legal right to fix a tenant’s A/Cs. Each year, we note during the summer landlords are trying to avoid fixing central air or provide window units for their tenants. But they are taking their rent monthly," Trotter said.
In St. Louis County, cooling centers will not open until July 1. They will be open until Sept. 6 and operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with no temperature restrictions. The county teams up with The Salvation Army-Family Haven.
“With temperatures climbing into the 90s, please check on your neighbors and loved ones to make sure they have the resources they need to stay cool,” County Executive Dr. Sam Page said. “St. Louis summers can be brutal, and we want to make sure everyone has what they need to stay safe when temperatures climb into the 90s and beyond.”
In the meantime, the Loaves and Fishes Overflow Emergency Shelter is open. It's located at 2055 Concourse Drive in Maryland Heights, Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. On Fridays, it's open from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.
To watch 5 On Your Side broadcasts or reports 24/7, 5 On Your Side is always streaming on 5+. Download for free on Roku, Amazon Fire TV or the Apple TV App Store.