Pools offer relief to beat the heat

After enjoying a cooler-than-average July, Omahans are being forced to find ways this weekend to beat the heat of August.

Omaha topped out Saturday at 97, according to Accuweather.com, The World-Herald's weather consultant.

At Hitchcock Park, the playground was empty but the swimming pool was packed. Children and adults filled the pool and sat at the water's edge. There was a constant line for the diving board.

Bob Noordam brought his children and a neighbor to Hitchcock to stay cool and enjoy the water a final time before the pool closes for the season today.

“You need to stay in or by water in this weather,” Noordam said.

Highs in the low 90s were expected today. If that happens, it would be the summer's first three-day span of 90-plus highs in the Omaha area.

Omaha's high this year was 98 on June 23.

Lincoln and Beatrice were the hot spots Saturday in eastern Nebraska, each hitting 100 degrees. It was Lincoln's high for the summer.

Christi and Jeff Krist lounged in the sun at Omaha's Elmwood Park pool as their three children played in the water. They wanted to get one more use out of their family pass.

Christi Krist said this summer has been pleasant — not too hot, but sunny enough for plenty of time at the pool.

Elmwood and Hitchcock pools were among four city pools whose seasons were extended through contributions by private donors. The pools had been scheduled to close Aug. 2 because of the city's budget crunch.

After today, all city pools will be closed for the season.

Outside the Hitchcock pool, Arik Davies, 19, lamented that the pool was closing just as temperatures are heating up. Davies moved to Omaha in February from Georgia, so he's used to the heat, he said.

Along the Omaha riverfront, Tyra Blue, 8, hopped from spigot to spigot at the spray fountain at the base of the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge.

She dunked her head in the water as her mother, Shirley Blue, watched, wearing sunglasses to shield her eyes from the late-morning sun.

“We're just here to beat the heat,” Shirley Blue said.

Some organizations are helping people cope with the hot weather this weekend.

The Salvation Army opened a cooling station, stocked with a large cooler of bottled water, at its north Omaha center, 2424 Pratt St. The cooling station will be open again today from noon to 6 p.m.

To prevent heat-related illnesses, people should drink plenty of water, avoid caffeine and alcohol, limit outdoor activities to the morning and evening and use sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher when outside, according to Douglas County health officials.

The weekend felt especially hot because the rest of the summer has been so cool, said Barbara Mayes, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Valley.

The average high in Omaha in July was 81.7 degrees — nearly 6 degrees below normal — according to the Weather Service.

Mayes said a cold front is likely to drop Omaha temperatures this week into the mid-to-high 80s. But Omaha should see the 90s again by the end of the week.

Those temperatures, Mayes said, would be just slightly above average for early August.

Contact the writer:

444-3152, emily.babay@owh.com