TRENTON, N.J. — The National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory for Mercer County and the surrounding area from 11 a.m. Thursday, July 27, to 6 a.m. Friday, July 28, and an Excessive Heat Watch from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, July 28.
County Exec. Brian M. Hughes reminds residents that many cooling sites will be open.
Temperatures on Thursday were expected to reach the middle to upper 90s with a heat index (a measure of the combination of heat and humidity) of up to 104 degrees.
For the Excessive Heat Watch on Friday, dangerously hot conditions with heat index values of up to 106 degrees are possible. Children, older adults, people with disabilities and pets are most at risk during excessive temperatures.
The New Jersey Department of Health and the Federal Emergency Management Agency offer the following recommendations for staying safe during hot weather:
- Never leave people or pets in a closed car on a warm day.
- People without air conditioning should reach out to NJ 2-1-1 for information regarding Cooling Centers: nj211.org/nj-cooling-centers
- Take cool showers or baths.
- Wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing.
- Use your oven less to help reduce the temperature in your home.
- If you’re outside, find shade. Wear a hat wide enough to protect your face.
- Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.
- Avoid high-energy activities or working outdoors if possible.
- Check on family members, older adults and neighbors.
- Watch for heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
- Consider pet safety. If pets are outdoors, make sure they have plenty of cool water and access to comfortable shade. Asphalt and dark pavement can be very hot to your pet’s feet.
- If using a mask, use one that is made of breathable fabric, such as cotton instead of polyester. Don’t wear a mask if you feel yourself overheating or have trouble breathing.
Mercer County Library System branches and municipal senior centers serve as cooling sites, although daily hours of operation vary. These locations are open to all residents. The Ewing, Hickory Corner, Hightstown, Hopewell, Lawrence, Robbinsville, Twin Rivers, and West Windsor library branches are open Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Hollowbrook Branch is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 5 p.m. Call individual senior centers for hours of operation, restrictions and accommodations. Call your local senior center if you don’t see it on the list of confirmed cooling sites below.
Mercer County library branch locations
- Ewing, 61 Scotch Road
- Hickory Corner, 138 Hickory Corner Road, East Windsor
- Hightstown Memorial, 114 Franklin St.
- Hollowbrook, 320 Hollowbrook Drive, Ewing
- Hopewell, 245 Pennington-Titusville Road, Pennington
- Lawrence Headquarters Branch, 2751 Brunswick Pike
- Robbinsville, 42 Allentown-Robbinsville Road
- Twin Rivers, 276 Abbington Drive, East Windsor
- West Windsor, 333 North Post Road
Municipal senior center locations
- Ewing – Hollowbrook Community Center, 320 Hollowbrook Drive; 609-883-1199
- Hamilton Senior Center, 409 Cypress Lane; 609-890-3686;
- Hopewell Valley Senior Center, 395 Reading St., Pennington; 609-537-0236;
- John O. Wilson Center, 169 Wilfred Avenue, Hamilton; 609-393-6480;
- Lawrence Senior Center (not a cooling center but will be available from 2 to 7 p.m. July 27 and noon to 7 p.m. July 28 for cooling purposes), 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence; 609-882-9246
- Princeton Senior Resource Center, 101 Poor Farm Road, Building B; Suzanne Patterson Building, 45 Stockton St.; 609-751-9699
- Robbinsville Township Senior Center, 1117 Route 130; 609-259-1567
- Samuel Naples Senior Center (covering all of Trenton), 611 Chestnut Ave.; 609-989-3462
- West Windsor Senior Center, 271 Clarksville Road; 609-799-9068
For assistance in coping with the heat or to contact your local cooling site, please call the Mercer County Office on Aging at (609) 989-6661 or toll-free at (877) 222-3737. During non-business hours, residents are encouraged to call 911 if they experience heat-related problems.
For more information regarding heat-related emergencies, please visit www.ready.nj.gov, the National Weather Service Heat Safety Tips and Resourcespage or the National Institute on Aging Hot Weather Safety page.