Cooling centers open across Houston as heat index hits 112 degrees

Cooling centers opened across Houston and Harris County as a Heat Advisory pushed dangerous heat index values to 112 degrees, with officials urging residents to get inside before the afternoon turned more dangerous. The Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management activated its Heat Plan with Harris County Public Library, sending people to library branches and other partner sites across the county.

The National Weather Service said the advisory for Harris County and Southeast Texas ran through 10 p.m. Saturday, with highs near 90 to 95 degrees and heat index values between 107 and 112 degrees. Forecasters warned that fans can be inadequate in this level of heat and said air conditioning may be necessary to stay safe.

Cooling center locations and hours varied by site, but county officials said the sites were open at Harris County Public Library branches and other partner facilities. City of Houston guidance also said residents without transportation could call 3-1-1 to request a free ride to and from a cooling center, a crucial option for seniors, people with disabilities and unhoused residents who may have no way to reach air conditioning on their own.

Harris County Public Health said extreme heat can trigger heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps and dehydration, and warned that the Greater Houston Area is likely to face more extreme heat days, hotter nights, longer summers and higher energy demands over time. That threat lands hardest in neighborhoods where people work outdoors, live without reliable cooling or cannot afford the power bills that come with keeping the air on.

County leaders have used cooling centers before. Harris County opened them during a similar extreme-heat period on June 26, 2024, when the Heat Plan was also activated. In Precinct 4, Commissioner Lesley Briones’ Cool 4 the Summer effort has also distributed free portable air-conditioning units to vulnerable residents, including seniors, low-income households, veterans and people with disabilities, underscoring how the county is trying to reach people who cannot always make it to a cooling center when temperatures spike.