High temps prompt school closures, opening of cooling centers in Detroit
Hot temperatures prompted at least Metro Detroit school districts to cancel classes Friday while the city of Detroit also opened cooling centers for residents in need.
Temperatures were expected to hit the low 90s, about 10 degrees above average, according to the National Weather Service. Schools in Pontiac and Southfield closed while Detroit Public Schools Community District dismissed its students three hours early.
"Due to the extreme heat index there will be no school," Pontiac School District officials said in a notice on the district's website and Facebook page. "Please note that the (Patient Care Technician Program) clinical finals will still take place tomorrow. Buses will pick up and drop off PCT students at their homes and will be notified shortly of the times."
Detroit Public Schools Community District released students early Thursday and Friday because of the heat.
Detroit Recreation Centers and branches of the Detroit Public Library, meanwhile, announced Friday that they would be used as cooling centers to provide residents with relief from the heat through Saturday. They will operate during normal business hours, according to a news release.
“The City of Detroit has opened cooling centers to provide Detroiters with a place to go for relief from extreme heat,” said Christina Floyd, acting chief public health officer. “The Detroit Health Department is working closely with the Parks & Recreation Division to provide safe, accessible cooling centers in neighborhoods across the city."
Temperatures around Metro Detroit were expected to reach about 90 degrees Friday, before dropping into the upper 80s Saturday and upper 70s-lower 80s Sunday. The normal average June temperature in Detroit is 79.7 degrees.
An air quality alert is in effect for Genesee, Lapeer, Lenawee, Livingston, Oakland, Macomb, Monroe, Shiawassee, St. Clair, Washtenaw, and Wayne counties, according to the weather service. The alert means pollutants are expected to be unhealthy for sensitive groups, especially those with respiratory issues.
Friday's school closures come in tandem with the closure of two elementary schools in the Waterford School District, Haviland and Knudsen. Both schools also were closed Thursday following reports of power outages in Waterford Township.
Just after 1 p.m. Friday, more than 1,000 residents still were without power near Elizabeth Lake between Elizabeth Lake and Cass Elizabeth roads, according to an outage map on DTE Energy's website.
The utility cited "equipment problems" as the cause, noting that customers were without power since May 30. Power restoration was estimated by 6:30 p.m. Friday.
"We want everyone to protect themselves from the heat. Young children, older adults and those living with chronic medical conditions are especially vulnerable. Please check on your neighbors, and remember that pets need extra care in extreme weather," Floyd said.
More information on the cooling centers can be found here.
cramirez@detroitnews.com
jaimery@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @CharlesERamirez