Sonoma County is expected to hit 110 degrees this weekend. No county cooling centers yet in place

Despite predictions of intense heat across the North Bay this weekend, Sonoma County has yet to set up cooling centers to help those in need escape from the anticipated triple-digit temps.

According to newly established county regulations, the predicted heat isn’t expected to last long enough to trigger the need for cooling centers.

Even though the National Weather Service is forecasting highs up to 110 in parts of Sonoma and Napa counties, as of Tuesday meteorologists were still considering whether to issue a heat advisory or an excessive heat warning.

An excessive heat warning would trigger the need for cooling centers, officials said.

The drop-in center at Caritas Village in downtown Santa Rosa, run by Catholic Charities which provides services to unsheltered people, was one of the few places Tuesday providing air conditioning and water to those looking to escape the heat.

The agency, according to Catholic Charities CEO Jennielynn Holmes, will continue to do this through Saturday at varying hours.

The daytime highs that will reach into the 90s and 100s beginning Friday are a concern, said weather service meteorologist Dalton Behringer, but also of concern will be the overnight lows, which will be much higher due to a weaker marine layer.

The moisture brought in from the coast typically lowers temperatures inland to the 50s, but without the cloud coverage temperatures will only drop to the upper 60s or lower 70s. Some elevated areas above 1,500 to 2,000 feet could see lows in the 80s.

During the previous heat wave at the beginning of July, on its hottest day, Santa Rosa hit 101 degrees but cooled down to 50 degrees.

This weekend, Santa Rosa could see a high of 97 and a low of 63.

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“Overnight we are not going to get that refreshing cool off,” Behringer said, adding that certain materials such as concrete will also retain the heat.

This could be particularly dangerous for the unhoused or others who do not have access to adequate air conditioning.

So far, the predicted conditions do not meet county of Sonoma requirements for setting up cooling centers. According to Sonoma County’s requirements, cooling centers will be put in place when an excessive heat warning has been issued or when overnight lows don’t drop below 75.

These requirements, as well as those that determine when warming centers will be opened during freezing conditions, were approved June 12 by the Board of Supervisors just before the Sonoma County Civil Grand Jury published a report criticizing the county’s former policy for opening these centers.

The weather service has already issued a heat watch from Friday morning through Sunday evening. But meteorologists, as of Tuesday, were still considering whether to bump it up to an excessive heat warning or just a heat advisory, which indicates it will be hot but there will be some reprieve.

Depending on how much the marine layer dissipates, either is possible, Behringer said.

The lack of overnight cloud cover could also potentially trigger a red flag warning for a day or two this weekend.

Meteorologists are also considering issuing the warning due to the heightened fire risks associated with the heat, but are holding off because of the lack of expected wind and unpredictability of the marine layer.

Underscoring those risks, a small wildfire broke out Tuesday afternoon outside of Cloverdale, near Highway 128. Firefighters, including aerial crews, managed to stop the blaze at just over 4 acres.

If a red flag warning were issued, it would be the first since Oct. 12, 2021, Behringer said.

The report published by the county’s civil grand jury on the county’s responses to extreme temperatures also praised the city of Santa Rosa for its work with Catholic Charities in adopting a concrete policy for opening warming centers in March 2022.

Due to the rising temperatures, the drop-in center at Catholic Charities’ Caritas Village will remain open until at least Saturday during the “hottest hours” of each day, Holmes said.

The center will be open 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday and Friday, 6 a.m. to noon Thursday ― with limited services ― and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

The drop-in spot normally is not open Sunday, but it may open if the city and county need additional support providing resources, Holmes said.

To help provide water to individuals passing through the center, Catholic Charities is looking for water bottle donations, which can be dropped at the Caritas Village at 301 Sixth St.

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated with the correct publishing date of the Sonoma County Civil Grand Jury’s report.

You can reach Staff Writer Madison Smalstig at madison.smalstig@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @madi.smals.