Long Branch's Cooling Center Open During Saturday Heat

LONG BRANCH, NJ — St. James' Church (300 Broadway) will provide a cooling center from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, according to officials.

The National Weather Service's forecast expects a high of 94 with a heat index as high as 105 on Saturday afternoon.

Sunday calls for a high of 94 degrees with a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m., according to NWS.

The NWS issued an excessive heat warning that affects Long Branch. It will run until 10 p.m. Sunday.

The most dangerous heat and humidity will occur from mid-afternoon to early evening each day, the NWS said. The heat and humidity may cause heat stress or heat stroke. The elderly and people with pre-existing health issues are most susceptible, according to the NWS.

The NWS recommends taking extra precautions in you're working outside. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent breaks in shade or air conditioning. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool, shaded area.

You should never leave young children or pets unattended in a vehicle under any circumstance, the NWS says. But this is especially true during hot weather, when a car's interior could reach lethal temperatures within minutes.

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