WEATHER WARN DAYS FOR DANGEROUS HEAT:
Very rare for Central PA to reach 100+, but we will do it again today. It will continue to be very hot through tomorrow with a heat index of 108+ degrees. Overnight temperatures will offer little to no relief as lows only dip into the upper 70s.
CBS 21 FIRST WARNING WEATHER FORECAST:
Today: Mostly Sunny, Hot and Humid: High 102
Tonight: Clear Skies: Low 78
4th of July: Mostly Sunny, Hot and Humid with Isolated Thunderstorms: High 100
Sunday: Mostly Sunny, Scattered Thunderstorms: High 92
SOME RELIEF:
A series of cold fronts will start to swing through this weekend, increasing our chance for thunderstorms but also starting to erode the high heat. By Sunday our high will be in the mid to low 90s with a return to the upper 80s coming next week.
- Meteorologist Steve Knight
The World Health Organization recommends drinking plenty of water, avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and sugar, and refraining from strenuous activity to stay cool. Wearing lightweight clothing and staying in the shade can also help. For those without air conditioning, opening windows at night when it's cooler and closing them during the day can help keep homes cool.
>>Cleveland Clinic Urges Parents Not To Downplay Air Quality Alerts
(Cleveland, Ohio) -- Doctors at Cleveland Clinic are urging parents not to downplay air quality alerts. They say poor air quality isn't just an inconvenience, it's a health risk, especially for children. Pulmonologists there recommend checking the air quality index frequently. It's color-coded and pulmonologists note that when it's orange or maroon, kids can develop eye irritation, coughing or shortness of breath. Apparently, children are especially sensitive to air pollution because their organs are still developing, they breathe faster and are exposed to more harmful fine particles than adults. Kids with underlying conditions, like asthma or heart disease, are even more sensitive to poor air quality.
Berks County
Berks Encore Reading – 40 N. 9th St., Reading
Center at Spring Street – 200 W. Spring St., Boyertown
Casa de la Amistad – Reading
Strausstown Community Campus – Strausstown
Keystone Villa at Fleetwood – Fleetwood/Blandon
These are legitimate senior/community centers with posted weekday hours, but they were not included in the official cooling‑center list published for the current heat wave. Their normal hours suggest they should be open today, but this is not confirmed by county heat‑wave guidance. We suggest calling before you arrive.
- Family First Resource Center – 416 S. 7th St., Reading
- Robeson Lutheran Church – Mohnton
- Frieden’s Lutheran Church – Oley
Cumberland County
Branch Creek Place Senior Center 115 North Fayette Street, Shippensburg, PA 17257 📞 717-300-3563
Big Spring Senior Center 91 Doubling Gap Road, Suite 1, Newville, PA 17241 📞 717-776-4478
Carlisle Senior Action Center 20 East Pomfret Street, Carlisle, PA 17013 📞 717-249-5007
Mechanicsburg Place Senior Center 97 West Portland Street, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 📞 717-697-5947
Mary C. Schaner Senior Center 98 South Enola Drive, Enola, PA 17025 📞 717-732-3915
West Shore Senior Center 122 Geary Avenue, New Cumberland, PA 17070 📞 717-774-0409
These centers are typically open Monday through Friday during daytime hours. It’s a good idea to call ahead to confirm hours or ask about transportation options if needed.
The Dauphin County commissioners have designated the following:
B’nai B’rith Senior Center 130 S. 3rd Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101 📞 (717) 232-7516 🕘 Mon–Fri, 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
Jewish Community Center – Senior Adult Program 2986 N. 2nd Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110 📞 (717) 236-9555 ext. 3115 🕘 Mon–Fri, 8:30 AM–4:30 PM
Heinz-Menaker Senior Center 1824 N. 4th Street, Harrisburg, PA 17102 📞 (717) 238-7860 🕘 Tue–Fri, 8:30 AM–1:00 PM
Friendship Senior Center 5000 Commons Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17112 📞 (717) 657-1547 🕘 Mon–Fri, 9:00 AM–3:30 PM
Lykens Ballroom Senior Center 200 W. Main Street, Lykens, PA 17048 📞 (717) 453-8350 🕘 Wed & Thu, 8:00 AM–12:00 PM
Millersburg Senior Center 109 Edward Drive, Millersburg, PA 17061 📞 (717) 692-2657 🕘 Mon–Fri, 8:00 AM–3:00 PM
Leader Center for Active Life 605 Cocoa Avenue, Hershey, PA 17033 📞 (717) 533-2002 🕘 Mon–Fri, 12:00 PM–3:30 PM
Lancaster County
New Hope Ministries is one of the outreach groups providing cooling centers, with nine facilities open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Additional Cooling Centers:
Columbia Senior Center Columbia United Methodist Church 510 Walnut St., Columbia 🕘 Mon–Wed: 7:30 AM–3:30 PM 📞 (717) 684-4850
Elizabethtown Area Senior Center 70 S. Poplar St., Elizabethtown 🕘 Mon–Wed: 8:30 AM–6:00 PM 📞 (717) 367-7984
Lititz Senior Center Lititz United Methodist Church 201 E. Market St., Lititz 🕘 Mon–Wed: 8:30 AM–3:30 PM 📞 (717) 626-2800
Millersville Senior Center St. Paul Lutheran Church 222 N. George St., Millersville 🕘 Mon–Wed: 8:00 AM–3:00 PM 📞 (717) 299-3943
Lancaster Neighborhood Senior Center 33 E. Farnum St., Lancaster 🕘 Mon–Wed: 7:30 AM–3:00 PM 📞 (717) 299-3943
Next Gen Senior Center 184 S. Lime St., Quarryville 🕘 Mon–Wed: 8:00 AM–4:00 PM 📞 (717) 786-4770
These centers are open to all residents seeking relief from the heat. For more info, you can contact the Lancaster County Office of Aging at (717) 299-7979 or email aging@lancastercountypa.gov
Lebanon County
- Library System of Lebanon County 125 North 7th Street, Lebanon, PA 17046 🕘 Mon–Wed: 8:00 AM–8:00 PM 🕘 Thu: 8:00 AM–7:00 PM 🕘 Fri–Sat: 8:00 AM–5:00 PM 📞 (717) 273-7624
- Lebanon County Community Action Lebanon, PA 🕘 Mon–Fri: Opens at 8:30 AM 📞 (717) 273-9328 Visit their website
- These locations offer air conditioning, water, and a safe space to cool down. It’s always a good idea to call ahead to confirm hours or ask about transportation options.
PERRY COUNTY
Perry County Public Library 221 N. 5th Street, Newport, PA 17074 📞 (717) 567-7023 🕘 Mon–Thu: 10 AM–8 PM | Fri–Sat: 10 AM–5 PM
Perry County Area Agency on Aging 315 Keystone Way, New Bloomfield, PA 17068 📞 (717) 582-5128 Offers senior services and may provide access to cooling spaces during heat advisories.
Newport Senior Center 302 Market Street, Newport, PA 17074 📞 (717) 567-3800 🕘 Mon–Fri: 8 AM–3 PM
Duncannon Senior Center 27 N. High Street, Duncannon, PA 17020 📞 (717) 834-4777 🕘 Mon–Fri: 8 AM–3 PM
Marysville-Rye Library
198 Overcrest Road, Marysville, PA 17053 📞 (717) 957-2851 🕘 Mon–Thu: 10 AM–8 PM | Fri–Sat: 10 AM–5 PM
York County
Crispus Attucks Association 605 S. Duke St., York 🕘 Mon–Fri, 9 AM–3 PM | 📞 (717) 848-3610
September House Senior Center 1251 W. King St., York 🕘 Mon–Fri, 8 AM–4 PM | 📞 (717) 848-4417
White Rose Senior Center, Inc. 27 S. Broad St., York 🕘 Mon–Fri, 8 AM–4 PM | 📞 (717) 843-9704
Yorktown Senior Center, Inc. 509 Pacific Ave., York 🕘 Mon–Fri, 7:30 AM–2:30 PM | 📞 (717) 854-0693
LifePath Christian Ministries 367 W. Market St., York 🕘 Daily, 11:30 AM–1:30 PM
Martin Library 159 E. Market St., York 🕘 Mon–Thu, 10 AM–6 PM; Fri–Sat, 10 AM–1 PM
Hanover Area
- Hanover Area Council of Churches 136 Carlisle St., Hanover 🕘 Daily, 11:30 AM–4 PM | 📞 (717) 633-6353
- New Hope Ministries – Hanover 135 Baltimore St., Hanover 🕘 Mon–Fri, 9 AM–4 PM | 📞 (717) 698-3365
Dover Area
- Heritage Senior Center 3700-4 Davidsburg Rd., Dover 🕘 Mon–Fri, 8:30 AM–1:30 PM | 📞 (717) 292-7471
- New Hope Ministries – Dover 62 N. Main St., Dover 🕘 Mon–Fri, 9 AM–4 PM | 📞 (717) 292-3441
Other Areas
- Golden Connections Community Center (Red Lion) 20-C Gotham Pl., Red Lion 🕘 Mon–Fri, 8:30 AM–2:30 PM | 📞 (717) 244-7229
- South Central York County Senior Center (New Freedom) 150 E. Main St., New Freedom 🕘 Mon–Fri, 8:15 AM–2:15 PM | 📞 (717) 235-6060
- Stewartstown Senior Center 26 S. Main St., Stewartstown 🕘 Mon–Fri, 8:30 AM–3 PM | 📞 (717) 993-3488
- Susquehanna Area Senior Center (Wrightsville) 2427 Craley Rd., Wrightsville 🕘 Mon–Fri, 8 AM–12 PM | 📞 (717) 244-0340