There could be a record-high temperatures today. Springfield says cooling centers are open

Steven Spearie, State Journal-Register
·2 min read
Theodore Patterson, 1, performs experiments blocking streams of water with a ball while beating the heat in the splash fountain at Southwind Park in Springfield on Aug. 24, 2021. The city could see a record high temperature today.
Theodore Patterson, 1, performs experiments blocking streams of water with a ball while beating the heat in the splash fountain at Southwind Park in Springfield on Aug. 24, 2021. The city could see a record high temperature today.

Springfield could set or be near a record-high temperature today.

That has prompted the city to designate 12 cooling centers be opened for anyone who needs relief from the heat.

Most are businesses and office buildings. The hours of operation are listed below.

National Weather Service meteorologist Alex Erwin said today's high temperature will be near 91 degrees. The record high for today's date was 91 set in 2011.

Erwin said it also will be the most humid day of the week, with heat index values in the upper 90s, pushing 100.

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"We wanted people to be safe, with the hot temperatures starting," said Juan Huerta, the city's director of community relations, regarding the cooling centers.

Thursday will be a tad cooler, with highs in the mid- to upper 80s, Erwin said.

A system off the Atlantic Coast that's stalled out has led to a weather pattern upstream becoming stalled out as well, Erwin said, and that's allowed the heat and humidity to gradually build over the Midwest.

A cold front will make its way through the area over the weekend bringing in more seasonable highs in the mid-70s, he said.

Cooling center locations

The following locations have been designated as cooling centers in Springfield during regular business hours.

  • Municipal Center East, 800 E. Monroe St., Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

  • Municipal Center West, 300 S. Seventh St., Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

  • Lincoln Library, 326 S. Seventh St., Mon.-Wed. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Thurs.-Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

  • City of Springfield Office of Community Relations, 1450 Groth St., Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

  • St. John’s Breadline, 430 N. Fifth St., Sun.-Sat., 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

  • Salvation Army (main campus), 1600 Clear Lake Ave. (entrance off Martin Luther King Drive), Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

  • Salvation Army Overflow Shelter, 221 N. 11th St. Overnight Shelter, Sun.-Sat., 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.; Day Center Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (88 degrees or higher), Sat.-Sun. hours subject to staff and heat index

  • Washington Street Mission, 408 N. Fourth St., Mon.-Fri. 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

  • Walmart Supercenter (South), 1100 Lejune Drive, Sun.-Sat., 7 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

  • Walmart Supercenter (North) 2760 N. Dirksen Parkway, Sun.-Sat., 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

  • Walmart Supercenter (West) 3401 Freedom Drive, Sun.-Sat., 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

  • White Oaks Mall, 2501 Wabash Ave., Mon.-Thurs., 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sun., noon to 6 p.m.

This story will be updated.

Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788, sspearie@sj-r.com, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Springfield IL weather: Cooling centers open due to high temperatures