Sonoma County will have several cooling centers open beginning Tuesday for residents who need to escape the heat. 

Health Officer Dr. Tanya Phares issued a health advisory Monday in response to the National Weather Service’s excessive heat warning for much of the county, which runs through 11 p.m. Wednesday. 

The heat advisory applies to inland and coastal areas of Sonoma County. Temperatures are forecast to be as high as 103 degrees in the city of Sonoma and Healdsburg, 104 in Windsor and 95 in the coastal region. 

Cooling center locations include the Guerneville Library at 14107 Armstrong Woods Road in Guerneville, the Park and Ride lot on Remmel Road in Geyserville and a site to be determined in Sonoma Valley, according to the county.  

Santa Rosa will open Finley Community Center at 2060 College Ave. from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.

Cloverdale will have a cooling center open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday at the Cloverdale Regional Library, 401 N. Cloverdale Blvd., and from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Friday at the Senior Center located at 311 N. Main St. 

A heat advisory has gone out for the Bay Area and Central Coast from Sept. 30 to Oct

For specific hours as well as locations of other cooling centers to be opened by cities and community groups in Sonoma County, go to socoemergency.org on Tuesday morning. 

“Extreme heat can pose dangers, but there are things we can do to prevent heat-related health issues and stay safe,” said Phares. “Stay hydrated, take frequent breaks in the shade or air conditioning, and avoid strenuous activities.”

Staying cool in Concord

The city of Concord is also opening a cooling center to help people battle the heat over the next two days.

Due to anticipated high temperatures this week, a cooling center at the Concord Senior Center will open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday at 2727 Parkside Circle. Air conditioning and comfortable seating will be available. Those visiting the cooling center should plan to bring their own snacks, water and activities. 

The cooling center may be extended to Thursday if temperatures stay above 100 degrees. If so, the center will open from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. to accommodate the already scheduled Health Expo, a free community event taking place at the senior center from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Residents can also beat the heat in Concord at Sunvalley Shopping Center, Brenden Theatre, and any of the air-conditioned restaurants or retail stores in the area.

Residents are encouraged to stay hydrated. Even young and healthy individuals can succumb to heat if they participate in strenuous physical activities during hot weather.

Katy St. Clair got her start in journalism by working in the classifieds department at the East Bay Express during the height of alt weeklies, then sweet talked her way into becoming staff writer, submissions editor, and music editor. She has been a columnist in the East Bay Express, SF Weekly, and the San Francisco Examiner. Starting in 2015, she begrudgingly scaled the inverted pyramid at dailies such as the Vallejo Times-Herald, The Vacaville Reporter, and the Daily Republic. She has her own independent news site and blog that covers the delightfully dysfunctional town of Vallejo, California, where she also collaborates with the investigative team at Open Vallejo. A passionate advocate for people with developmental disabilities, she serves on both the Board of the Arc of Solano and the Arc of California. She lives in Vallejo.