Twentynine Palms will open cooling center sooner in “the heat index” this summer
Humid weather can make it difficult for folks with only a swamp cooler as evaporative cooling relies on dry air. On those muggy days air conditioners are the only thing that can truly bring the temp down.
But if you don’t have access to either one of those, that’s where cooling centers can help. These spaces provided by municipalities as a shelter from the heat — a place that you can relax and cool down in without expectation of having to buy something. Temperatures typically rise as you head east from Yucca Valley through Joshua Tree and into Twentynine Palms.
The Twentynine Palms Senior Center on Adobe Road acts as their de facto cooling center, as well as the headquarters for Reach Out Morongo Basin. In the past it wouldn’t open as a cooling center until the heat index hit 115 degrees. The heat index is different than the temperature. The heat index is also called “the apparent temperature” meaning how hot it actually feels. This isn’t much different than “wind chill” during winter.
Your body cools itself just like a swamp cooler, using evaporation of sweat on your skin to drop your body temperature. If the air around you is so hot and humid that your body can’t evaporate that sweat, its going to feel hotter than the temperature says.
City Manager Kevin Cole told the City Council at their last meeting that this year they will be dropping the heat index requirement down to 110.
The city uses data from the National Weather Service to make that determination, so depending on what weather app you use on your phone there may be a slight discrepancy in that temperature. It appears unlikely that the heat index will hit that mark this weekend, but its always good to be prepared for the sudden heat once it drops into the valley. In addition to cooling centers – third spaces like County library branches, community centers and other public facilities offer free places to cool down.
During heatwaves, the city will announce the opening of cooling centers, too. However, not everybody has access to the internet or the radio. Keep cooling center info handy for when temperatures start to climb and help let people know about the spots that they can cool off. If you see someone struggling in the heat or seeking shade, offer them water and let them know that there are places of refuge from the daytime temps.
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