TIME TO CHILL OUT
Ethan Caldwell does a backflip as he dives in the river in Verdun as Maryse, left, and Anne-sophie watch from their paddleboard on Monday. The heat wave broke records and spurred some philanthropists to help out seniors with air conditioners.
With Montreal under a heat warning, public health officials are advising residents to take the necessary precautions.
Temperatures soared above 30 C again on Monday, and the CIUSSS Centre-sud-de-l’île-de-montréal has activated its intervention plan for extreme heat conditions.
The regional health network is setting up air-conditioned areas in health facilities where vulnerable individuals living at home can go to cool off.
“If needed, the Société de transport de Montréal is available to bring those individuals to these cooling-off spots,” regional health officials said. “Cool zones are also available for people in health facilities. In the context of the current pandemic, various measures have been put in place to ensure safe access to the zones.”
The city of Montreal has also set up public air-conditioned places and opened aquatic facilities and pools for the public.
At a news conference Monday, Mayor Valérie Plante said she is aware of the need for pools and beaches in the city to open up as quickly as possible to allow people to cool down.
“We are trying to go as fast as possible . ... We got the go-ahead from public health authorities quite late. We had been pushing to have it a while ago. I’m not saying that is their fault, but it’s the reality. So when we got the go, we still had to clean the pools and hire the people and it’s not an easy one.”
The paramunicipal organization that runs Jean-drapeau Park announced on Sunday that Jean Doré Beach on Île Notre Dame and the large pool on Île Ste-hélène will open between the second and third week of July.
Asked about the delay, Plante said she will push to have them open in early July.
Health officials recommend people isolated at home because of COVID-19 go outdoors if they don’t have air conditioning and it becomes too hot inside their homes or apartments. (But pandemic protocols must be followed such as wearing masks, hand-washing and physical distancing.)
“In the past few days, different measures have gradually been implemented, but the current meteorological conditions require us to boost the intensity of prevention and protection activities in place,” said Dr. Mylène Drouin, regional director of public health for Montreal.
André Cantin, a meteorologist for Environment Canada, said temperatures are nearing record levels for June.
On Monday, Montreal reached 34.7 C, beating the previous June 22 record of 32.2 in 1957.
The normal high for Montreal is 24.1 on June 22, but Cantin said the current heat wave has seen sizzling temperatures.
“Sunday it was 33.4, the day before 33.2. Since June 18, we’ve been averaging 33, except the 19th it was 32.3.
“It’s also getting more humid each day,” he added. “The humidex index is close to 40 every day.”
There is one more day of hot weather forecast for Tuesday before temperatures are expected to level off.
“They should return to more normal temperatures with a high of 26,” Cantin said.
He said more hot weather is forecast for next week.
“After a break from Wednesday through Sunday, with temperatures closer to normal, starting next week temperatures will be around 30 for most of the week.”
Cantin has some simple but sound advice to beat the heat: “Go in the pool, and drink a lot of water.”
For health and prevention advice, call Info-santé at 811. In case of an emergency, call 911.