Denver opening cooling centers Tuesday to help residents escape high temps

DENVER — The City and County of Denver are opening several cooling centers Tuesday in order to help residents escape from predicted high temperatures.

The National Weather Service office in Boulder issued a heat advisory for the Denver metro area, Boulder and Fort Collins for Tuesday. The advisory is in effect from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Breezy conditions are also expected in the foothills and mountains Tuesday afternoon, according to NWS Boulder, meaning there will be elevated fire weather concerns.

Denver tied a record high on Monday. NWS Boulder recorded 99 degrees at Denver International Airport, tying a record also set in 2005, 1995 and 1877.

Due to the heat advisory, the City and County of Denver are opening several cooling centers on Tuesday.

All Denver Parks and Recreation rec centers will operate as daytime cooling centers during regular business hours. According to the city, each center will have a designated area for cooling, as well as access to water and restrooms. You can find the nearest rec center through this link .

Denver Public Library locations are also available for those looking to escape the heat. To locate the nearest library, click here .

The city has several walk-up shelters and "front door" referral centers for people experiencing homelessness. Those locations can be found below:

• Individual men can access "front door" care at the Lawrence Street Community Center, located at 2222 Lawrence Street, between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Walk-up services can be obtained at the Crossroads Shelter, located at 1901 29th Street, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
• Individual women can access "front door" care at the Samaritan House, located at 2301 Lawrence Street, between 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m.
• Families with minor children can access shelters through The Salvation Army Connection Center, located at 11701 E 33rd Avenue, between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. You must call 303-295-336 before arriving at the center.
• Youth between the ages of 15 and 20 can access walk-up care at Urban Peak, 2100 Stout Street, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

The Denver Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE) has several tips to help you and your family stay safe:

• Stay inside in air-conditioned buildings as much as possible. Air conditioning is the number one way to protect yourself against heat-related illness. If your home is not air-conditioned, visit one of Denver’s cooling center
• Drink more water than usual and don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink
• Fans will not prevent heat-related illness in extreme heat, instead take cool showers or baths to cool down
• Don’t use the stove or oven to cook—it will make you and your house hotter
• Don’t drink alcohol or beverages that contain caffeine
• Limit your outdoor activity, especially during the middle of the day when the sun is the hottest

At Denver7, we're committed to making a difference in our community. We're standing up for what's right by listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the featured videos in the playlist above.