Salem Opens Cooling Center Amid Searing Heat Emergency On Friday

SALEM, MA — Salem has opened the Jean A. Levesque Community Life Center for extended hours on Friday because of the extreme heat.

The center at 401 Bridge Street will be open for all residents until 7 p.m. on Friday for those who are in need of hydration and air conditioning with the heat index expected to approach 100 degrees.

The heat index is a measure of how hot it feels through a combination of air temperature and humidity. In general, parts of the state from Boston through the Merrimack Valley will see the highest heat index values through Saturday.

The heat advisory will be in effect until Saturday night, and the advisory is meant to alert people to stay cool and hydrated and to keep an eye on vulnerable relatives like children, the elderly and people with chronic illnesses.

Many cities and towns are opening cooling centers at libraries and other community buildings to help residents escape dangerous heat.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)