NORFOLK, Va. — With hot temperatures all over Hampton Roads this weekend, staying cool inside won't be a bad idea. And luckily, the seven cities will have places for people to stay safe and healthy.
The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning for Friday and Saturday for much of Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina. An Excessive Heat Warning means dangerously hot conditions, with heat index values between 110-115° possible in some spots. In addition, overnight heat index values in urban areas are not expected to drop below the lower to mid-80s on Friday night.
Excessive heat can cause a lot of problems for people's health, including heat exhaustion and heat stroke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Here's the list of places you can go to cool off:
Norfolk
During excessive heat, people in Norfolk are encouraged to take advantage of the city's libraries and the lobbies of community centers.
Virginia Beach
A spokesperson said the City of Virginia Beach doesn't open specific cooling centers, but people who don't have access to air-conditioned spaces are encouraged to visit one of the city’s libraries to hang out.
The city also recommended going to a public place, such as a mall.
Portsmouth
The City of Portsmouth has activated its cooling centers until Saturday, July 29. Water will be provided at all locations.
Portsmouth City Hall Lobby, 801 Crawford Street
Friday – 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Portsmouth Main Library, 601 Court Street
Friday – 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday – 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Churchland Library, 4934 High Street West
Friday – 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday – 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Behavioral Healthcare Services Building, 1811 King Street
Friday – 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Social Services/ Human Services Building, 1701 High Street
Friday – 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Senior Station, 3500 Clifford Street
Friday – 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Chesapeake
The City of Chesapeake said if you need a place to escape the heat, all Chesapeake Public Libraries are open until 5 p.m. Friday and all community centers are open until 6 p.m.
- Central Library - 298 Cedar Road
- Cuffee Outreach & Innovation Library - 2726 Border Road
- Greenbrier Library - 1214 Volvo Parkway
- Indian River Library - 2320 Old Greenbrier Road
- Major Hillard Library - 824 Old George Washington Highway N.
- Russell Memorial Library - 824 Taylor Road
- South Norfolk Memorial Library - 801 Poindexter Street
- Deep Creek Community Center - 2901 Margaret Booker Drive
- Cuffee Community Center - 2019 Windy Road
- Great Bridge Community Center - 212 Holt Drive
- Indian River Community Center - 2250 Old Greenbrier Road
- River Crest Community Center - 1001 River Walk Parkway
- South Norfolk Community Center - 1217 Godwin Avenue
- Western Branch Community Center - 4437 Portsmouth Blvd
Newport News
The City of Newport News encouraged people to stop by the city's public library branches and community centers to seek relief from the heat:
Community Centers - Open until 8 p.m. on Friday and from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Saturday
- Denbigh Community Center - 15198 Warwick Blvd.
- Brittingham-Midtown Community Center – 570 McLawhorne Dr.
Library Branches - Open until 6 p.m. on Friday and from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday
- Grissom Library – 366 Deshazor Dr.
- Main Street Library – 110 Main St.
- Pearl Bailey Library – 2510 Wickham Ave.
Additionally, the Four Oaks Day Services and Training Center is open daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. to support the homeless community. It's located at 7401 Warwick Boulevard.
Hampton
We've reached out to the City of Hampton for any cooling center locations and are waiting to hear back.
Suffolk
Two Suffolk Public Library locations are open to the public as designated cooling centers during regular business hours. The centers will offer access to air conditioning, water fountains, and restrooms. The two library locations are:
Morgan Memorial Library
443 West Washington Street
Thursday, July 27 through Saturday, July 29
10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
North Suffolk Library
2000 Bennetts Creek Park Road
Thursday, July 27 through Saturday, July 29
10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.