Middlesex-London in for a hot and humid weekend with a heat warning issued

London, Ont. -

We’re in for a hot and humid weekend as temperatures soar above 30 degrees, leading the Middlesex-London Health unit (MLHU) to issue a heat warning for both Saturday and Sunday.

Some ways that Londoners are beating the well above seasonal temperatures, is by visiting one of the city’s spray-pads.

"I like when it is hot outside - it is just really refreshing," says 8-year-old Kacen who spent his Saturday under the spray pads at Gibbons Park.

People keep cool at the spray pad in Gibbons Park on Saturday June 5, 2021 (Jordyn Read / CTV News)Ray Walker, Public Health Inspectors with MLHU, says a heat warning is issued when two consecutive days reach 31 degrees, with overnight temperatures remaining above 21 degrees.

He adds that the hottest times of the day are between the hours of 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.

And one of the hottest areas across the region is the downtown core, due to concrete sidewalks and brick buildings absorbing the heat.

"Using Dundas and Richmond for example, on the street, the temperature could be 20-30 degrees hotter than under a tree at Victoria Park on the grass."

While many of us may crank the air conditioners or find refuge at spray pads, the city’s most vulnerable population is at a higher risk.

Due to COVID-19 lockdown restrictions there is no access to public air conditioned buildings, like malls or public libraries.

To help those most vulnerable the city of London has opened two cooling stations located at 1045 Wonderland Road north and the South London Community centre at 119 Jalna Boulevard.

The centres will be open between 11a.m. until 7 p.m.

Those a part of the vulnerable populations may spend time in the centres to find reprieve from the extreme heat.

Water bottles will also be provided to them.

"Stay out of the heat if you can usually between 11-4, and if you can, find shade in a grassy area and find yourself a breeze and you should be fine says Walker."

For more resources to beat the heat, click here.