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Residents of Stockton turned to community pools and parks to cool off as high temperatures persisted for the second day in Northern California. 

Weber Point had about 30 children playing in the fountain around noon Wednesday, with adults watching over them while consuming cold drinks, sitting in the shade. More families joined with snow cones and ice boxes with drinks as the day got hotter. 

The city pools have been open to the public Tuesday through Sunday with an entry fee of $2 per person, but some of them had waiting lines. While some visitors patiently waited in the heat, others turned back in disappointment.  

  • Residents of Stockton cool off in the pool at Holiday Park in Stockton, Calif., on June 22, 2022. (Photo by Harika Maddala/Bay City News/Catchlight Local)
  • Residents of Stockton cool off in the pool at Holiday Park in Stockton, Calif., on June 22, 2022. (Photo by Harika Maddala/Bay City News/Catchlight Local)
  • A family waits in the heat to enter the Holiday Park Pool in Stockton, Calif., on June 22, 2022. (Photo by Harika Maddala/Bay City News/Catchlight Local)
  • Kamari Roy, 1, eats a snow cone at Weber Point in Stockton, Calif., on June 22, 2022. (Photo by Harika Maddala/Bay City News/Catchlight Local)
  • Zoey Vaughn, 7, on the left, plays with her sister Bella Vaughn, 6, at Weber Point in Stockton, Calif., on June 22, 2022. (Photo by Harika Maddala/Bay City News/Catchlight Local)
  • Water splashes on the face of Kylo Walker, 3, at Weber Point in Stockton, Calif., on June 22, 2022. (Photo by Harika Maddala/Bay City News/Catchlight Local)
  • Children play at the Weber Point Fountain in Stockton, Calif., on June 22, 2022. (Photo by Harika Maddala/Bay City News/Catchlight Local)

The city of Stockton has also set up cooling zones at community centers across the city with air conditioning and water that are open for everyone.  

Connie Cochran, the city’s community relations officer, noted that some of the cooling zones have not had any visitors. “The centers haven’t had many visitors although the temperatures have been so high for two days now,” Cochran said.  

Here is a list of community centers with cooling zones in Stockton: 

• Arnold Rue Center, 5758 Lorraine Ave. 

• Seifert Center, 128 W. Benjamin Holt Drive 

• Stribley Center, 760 E. Sonora St. 

• Van Buskirk Center, 734 Houston Ave. 

In the meantime, National Weather Service Sacramento cautioned the public about possible dry thunderstorms with the potential to spark a fire due to lightning developing across northern San Joaquin Valley and foothills. That warning extended from Wednesday afternoon through 9 a.m. Thursday.

Harika Maddala is a photojournalist based in Stockton covering San Joaquin County for Bay City News Foundation and its nonprofit news site Local News Matters. They are a Report for America corps member and a CatchLight Local Fellow.