Louisville, KY

The weather forecast for the next week in Louisville can simply be summed up in one word- HOT. The current temperature this afternoon is 98 degrees at the Louisville International Airport with a heat index of 102 degrees. There is a heat advisory in effect which means that you should stay out of the sun, avoid strenuous activity, and drink plenty of water. The rest of the week is only supposed to get hotter. Check out John Belski’s weather blog to keep updated.

So what can you do to keep cool in Louisville’s August weather? The most obviously answer is to stay inside in the air conditioning. If you don’t have air conditioning you can always go to a public place such as a mall, movie theatre, or restaurant during the hottest part of the day. Louisville and the surrounding areas have several large malls including, The Mall St. Matthews, Oxmoor Center, Green Tree Mall, and Jefferson Mall. There is also the Bass Pro Shops that took over most of River Falls Mall in Indiana.

The Louisville area has many pools and other water attractions that can help you stay cool. The Louisville Zoo has just opened their water feature called Glacier Run. Tickets are $11.95 for adults, $8.95 for kids 3-11 years old, and free for kids under 2. Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom has Six Flags Splashwater Kingdom, which is included with the price to the park. Tickets are normally $24.99 for kids less than 48” and $39.99 for adults, but there are usually coupons, season passes, and online specials that can reduce the cost. The Atlantis Water Park is just right over the bridge in Clarksville, IN. Tickets are $8 on weekends and $7 on weekdays. Mary T. Meagher Aquatic Center is part of the Jefferson County Metro Parks system and is open year around. There is no membership and daily fees are $2.25 for kids 12 and under, and $4.50 for everyone else. The Louisville Waterfront Park also has areas where you can frolic in fountains and water for free.

In this type of weather it is also important to remember you friends and neighbors who are sick, elderly, or who have small children. These people are even more likely to suffer from heat related illness and death. Check on them often and make sure they have fans and water if they are not in air conditioning. Pets, especially dogs, can suffer from heat exhaustion so if they are outside make sure they have some shade and plenty of water also. If you see a pet or child in a car make sure to call the police since cars can get to fatal temperatures very quickly even with the windows cracked.

So how do you keep cool in this type of weather?

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