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It isn't hot enough to open cooling centers, city officials say

Despite heat advisories issued by the National Weather Service, officials from Sacramento, West Sacramento and Yuba City explain why cooling centers are not open.

SACRAMENTO, Calif — The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory for Sacramento and surrounding counties for June 10 and 11.  

This means for the next two days temperatures are expected to be over 100 degrees, but that's not enough for many cities and counties to open cooling centers.

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Cooling centers usually operate in air-conditioned public spaces such as libraries, churches and community centers. These cooling locations are also open for extended hours. 

Marycon Young, a spokesperson for the City of Sacramento, said that they have certain criteria for operating cooling centers. 

"Cooling centers are only open when a certain amount of days reach temperatures higher than 103," Young said.

Young clarified in an email that cooling centers will open if the high heat index is forecasted above 105 degrees for three consecutive days and the low heat index is forecasted above 75 degrees.

The heat index is a measurement that considers humidity and temperature to more accurately show how hot it feels.

In Yuba City, the high temperatures are expected to be in the low 100s for the first three days of the week. But Samantha Benzel, a spokesperson for the City of Yuba City, said temperatures are getting low enough in the evenings where cooling centers are not needed.

"We are keeping a close eye on the weather," Benzel said. "Our past practices have been not to open them if the temperatures get lower than 70 in the evenings."

Paul Reyes, a spokesperson for the City of West Sacramento, said although it's not an official cooling center, people can go and cool off at places like the Community Center located at 2801 Jefferson Blvd. during regular operating hours, which are 5:15 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. during the week.

Editor's Note: A previous version of this story said that the City of Sacramento uses temperatures instead of the heat index. Young emailed the reporter to further clarify the standards the city uses.

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