We’re about to see a dramatic weather warm-up this weekend, with record high temperatures possible on Sunday and Monday. Remember that our microclimates mean temperatures may be much higher in some areas than others. Places further from the coast, like Maple Falls, Deming, Glacier, and Lynden, will see higher temperatures.

Here are a few tips to stay cool:

• Drink plenty of water. As you sweat, you need to drink water to avoid dehydration. Avoid drinks that contain caffeine, large amounts of sugar or alcohol. 
• Stay cool indoors. If your home is not air conditioned, try to spend the hottest hours of the day in a cool public place such as a mall, movie theater, or public building. 
• Take a cool bath or shower, dampen clothing or wear a cool, damp towel around your neck or over your head.
• Do not rely on a fan as your primary cooling device when the temperature is hotter than 90 degrees. Despite feeling cool, fans do not cool your body well at these high temperatures 
• Make an ice fan. You can make a DIY air conditioner by positioning a fan to blow across a bowl of ice.
• Do not leave people or pets in cars. Even if air temperatures are not hot, temperatures inside a car - even with windows cracked - can quickly get above 100 degrees. Kids and pets can become seriously ill or even die very quickly in these conditions. 
• Check on your neighbors. Although anyone can suffer heat-related illness, some people are at greater risk than others. People aged 65 or older are particularly susceptible to heat-related illnesses and complications. 
• Limit your time outside. If you work or spend time outside, do this in the early morning or evening if you can to avoid the hottest part of the day. 
• Dress for the heat by wearing light-colored, loose-fitting clothing and a broad-brimmed hat when spending time outdoors.  
• Cover windows that receive morning or afternoon sun. Inexpensive reflective material, awnings, or louvers can reduce the heat entering a house by as much as 80 percent.

Know the signs of heat illness, and know when to seek help. Heat Stroke is a serious and life-threatening emergency, and you may need to seek medical attention if you or someone else is experiencing heat exhaustion or heat cramps. Learn more about heat-related illnesses on our Extreme Heat page.

Planning time in a local lake or the bay? Even if the air is warm, the water is still cold. When your body hits cold water, “Cold Shock” can cause dramatic changes in breathing, heart rate and blood pressure. Cold shock can lead to drowning in minutes, even if you are an excellent swimmer.

Before you swim, boat, fish or enjoy other recreational water activities, visit our Surface Water Advisories page to stay up to date on water quality alerts and closures. You can also sign up to get notifications by text or email whenever we have advisory updates to share.

Find more safety tips on our Extreme Heat page, where you can also create a household extreme heat plan with information such as emergency contacts, supply checklists and special considerations. Learn more at MyHeatPlan.Org.