Upcoming Heat Wave Expected to Hit Waterloo and Guelph

An orange alert has been issued for extreme heat in the Waterloo region, Guelph, and Wellington County starting Tuesday.

Environment and Climate Change Canada states that hot and humid conditions will take over this week, with daytime temperatures exceeding 30 C from Tuesday through Saturday, along with chances of showers every day until Sunday.

Jean Phillippe Begin, a meteorologist focused on warning preparedness at Environment Canada, advises everyone to recognize the signs of heat exhaustion.

“It’s really important for people to be aware of early signs of heat exhaustion – signs that may include headaches, nausea, dizziness, of course, being thirsty, intense fatigue,” he said, adding that nights are expected to remain quite warm as well.

“With the humidex factor, we will be near 30 C even during the night.. There’s no relief essentially for the next week if you don’t have air conditioning.”

Begin mentions that temperatures will keep rising throughout the week, with Wednesday and Thursday expected to be the hottest days, reaching highs between 34 C and 36 C.

He also points out there could be showers and thunderstorms as the week progresses.

Cooling Centres

Cooling spaces are available in Waterloo region including city hall locations, township offices, library branches as well as shopping malls during regular business hours.

The following places are listed as cooling centres:

Cambridge: City hall, all Cambridge Public Library locations, WG Johnson Centre, Region of Waterloo Public Health and Social Services building at 150 Main St. Kitchener: Activa Sportsplex, Breithaupt Centre, Centreville Chicopee Community Centre, Chandler Mowat Community Centre, Country Hills Community Centre, Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre, Community Healthcaring K-W at 44 Francis St. S., along with multiple other locations listed here. Waterloo: RIM Park, Albert Mc Cormick Community Centre, Waterloo Memorial Recreation Centre; Region of Waterloo’s Public Health and Social Services at 99 Regina St. S.; plus branches of the Waterloo Public Library. North Dumfries: Ayr branch of Region of Waterloo Public Library; North Dumfries Community Complex. Wellesley: Bill Gies Recreation Center; Linwood; St. Clements; Wellesley branches of Region of Waterloo Public Library. Wilmot: Baden; New Dundee; New Hamburg branches of Region of Waterloo Public Library; Wilmot Recreation Complex. Woolwich: Bloomingdale; Breslau; Elmira; St. Jacobs branches of Region of Waterloo Public Library; Breslau Community Centre; Woolwich Memorial Centre in Elmira.

A few locations might be closed on Wednesday due to Canada Day.

People exposed to extreme heat may experience:

Dizziness or fainting. Nausea or vomiting. Headache. Rapid breathing and heartbeat. Extreme thirst. Decreased urination.

The Region of Waterloo Public Health recommends staying hydrated by drinking plenty of liquids-especially water-and seeking shade when outdoors.

If someone shows signs of heat stroke that’s a medical emergency-911 should be called immediately. The person should be moved to a cooler area while being fanned and having cold water applied to large areas of skin or clothing.

Avoid Leaving People or Pets in Cars

The Guelph Humane Society warns against leaving pets unattended in parked vehicles which can lead to fatal outcomes-in just a few minutes sometimes.

“Leaving animals unattended in your vehicle can be distressing; leaving them when temperatures continue to rise exacerbates this distress and can lead to deadly consequences,” stated the animal welfare agency in a press release.

“Dogs are particularly vulnerable to heatstroke because they cannot regulate their body temperature efficiently. Dogs control their body temperature by panting; if they are breathing in hot air they are at risk for overheating. Heatstroke can quickly result in organ failure or death.”

The humane society adds that cats face risks from deadly heatstroke too.

“Cats may be especially vulnerable because they often hide signs of distress making overheating harder to spot before it escalates into an emergency.”

The Guelph Humane Society shares some indicators that pets may show when suffering from heat distress:Excessive barking or panting. Drooling. Vomiting or diarrhea. Lethargy or lack coordination. Collapse or unconsciousness.The humane society encourages anyone concerned about a pet left alone inside a car contact them or local police for help.

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