- All public pools throughout the Lehigh Valley will be closed up by Labor Day, Sept. 4
- While the region has seen some pretty wild jumps between humidity and heat, August came to a close without a single day crossing into the 90-degree temperature range
- This upcoming week will see some of the hottest days the LV has had in a while, so follow the Mayo Clinic's advice to beat the heat
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Pools throughout the Lehigh Valley are closing their doors for the season which ended in unusually mild weather, but with temperatures climbing back into the 90s at the start of September, it looks like there could be some issues keeping cool.
“A little unorthodox for this point of August. You still expect to be very much in the heat and humidity … [but] it’s going to be generally cooler and pleasant temperatures.”EPAWA meteorologist Bobby Martrich
With Labor Day ushering in the traditional end of the summer, the region has recently seen a peculiar cooldown as opposed to the hot and humid atmosphere which affected the area throughout the rest of the season.
The problem is, as Pennsylvanians know, there are at least a handful of extra seasons sprinkled throughout the already-established ones, and that includes the resurgence of suffering summer heat and humidity throughout the early stages of fall.
With just about every local pool closing up shop by Labor Day, one has to wonder how people in the Lehigh Valley are going to beat the heat.
Bethlehem’s Recreation Department has already announced the closure of the Memorial Pool, along with neighborhood pools Clearview, Stark, Westside, and Yosko for 2023.
Allentown’s Bucky Boyle Spray Park, Old Fairgrounds Playground Spray Park, Valania Park Spray Park, and Cedar Beach Pool are all set to shutter on Sept. 4, which the Mack Pool closed up over two weeks ago.
Easton’s Heil Pool and Eddyside Pool both wrapped up operations on Aug. 20.
Granted, these dates are par for the pool course and are often set far in advance of the season. And considering the Lehigh Valley never saw a temperature cross into the 90s this past August, ending the pool season right on the cusp of autumn makes sense.
LehighValleyNews.com's Stephanie Sigafoos reported on this unusual August just a few weeks back, citing EPAWA meteorologist Bobby Martrich's take on the conditions.
“A little unorthodox for this point of August,” Martrich said. “You still expect to be very much in the heat and humidity … [but] it’s going to be generally cooler and pleasant temperatures.”
Unfortunately, that doesn’t leave room for a slew of hot and heavy days this week: Labor Day was projected to top out near 93 degrees, Tuesday is set to hit 94 degrees, Wednesday is expected to reach 93 degrees again, and Friday is set to see a high of 91 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
How to beat the heat without a pool
Being that it’s a holiday weekend and everyone is bound to be out and about, the Mayo Clinic is advising that people keep an eye out for signs of heat exhaustion, including cool, moist skin with goose bumps when exposed to heat, heavy sweating, faintness, dizziness, fatigue, weak, rapid pulse, low blood pressure upon standing, muscle cramps, nausea, and headaches.
If you happen to experience any of these symptoms and believe you may be experiencing heat exhaustion, stop all activity and rest, move to a cooler place, and carefully drink cool water or sports drinks, preferably with low or no sugar.
If you’re with someone who shows signs of being confused or distressed, or if they lose consciousness or are unable to drink, seek immediate medical attention. When the core body temperature rises above 104 degrees, that person needs immediate cooling and urgent medical attention, the Mayo Clinic states.
In order to curb your chances of suffering heat exhaustion, make sure to stay hydrated, avoid alcohol, and don’t overdress in clothing which prevents easy evaporation of sweat.
Other tips include using sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15, as sunburn affects your body’s ability to cool itself. A wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses are also helpful.
Make sure to never leave people or pets in parked cars, as temperatures inside a vehicle can jump 20 degrees in a mere ten minutes.
If you happen to be on any medications, it helps to check if they affect your body’s ability to stay hydrated and respond to heat.
Taking it easy during the hottest hours of the day can help too, so aim to get your exercise or heavy physical labor out of the way early or later in the day when it is cooler.
So when you’re out enjoying the temporary return of summer this week, keep all those well-worn tips at hand before you pack them away with your pool floaties and inner tubes for the season. They just might save a life.
