Prince George’s County issues heat advisory ahead of July 4 weekend
Prince George’s County warned of dangerous heat and humidity before the holiday weekend, with cooling centers open and the National Weather Service calling for an extreme heat warning.
Prince George’s County warned residents on July 2 that dangerously high heat and humidity could turn the July Fourth weekend into a medical emergency, and county cooling centers were open for anyone needing relief. The bilingual advisory told residents to drink water, stay in air-conditioned buildings, limit outdoor activity, wear lightweight clothing, never leave children, older adults or pets in parked vehicles, and check on neighbors and relatives who may be at greater risk. It also listed the warning signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, including heavy sweating, dizziness, confusion, a body temperature of 103 degrees or higher, and loss of consciousness, and told people to call 911 immediately if heat stroke symptoms appear.
The National Weather Service office serving Baltimore and Washington had already placed Prince George’s County under a Heat Advisory and Extreme Heat Watch on July 1, then posted an Extreme Heat Warning for July 4 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. EDT. The National Weather Service forecast discussion called for a prolonged, dangerous heat wave through the Independence Day weekend across the East Coast, with peak heat indices of up to 115 degrees possible in parts of the region. Humidity makes extreme heat especially dangerous, and children, older adults and people with heart or lung problems are more likely to get sick.
Prince George’s County says permanent cooling centers are open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., with residents told to call ahead on weekends to confirm hours. The county’s list includes the Largo/Perrywood/Kettering Community Park School Center at 431 Watkins Park Drive in Upper Marlboro and the Prince George’s Plaza Community Center at 6600 Adelphi Road in Hyattsville. The Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex in Landover will serve as a full-service cooling center from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on July 4, with case management and support services on site. Separately, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission closed all outdoor operations at 2 p.m. on July 2, canceled Shakespeare in the Parks, and said some programs and services could be postponed or relocated as conditions changed.
The Maryland Department of Health launched its Weather-Related Illness Data Dashboard on May 7 and later confirmed Maryland’s first heat-related death of 2026, a Calvert County adult male in his 70s or 80s, with Dr. Meena Seshamani urging residents to use cooling centers as hotter days continue. The dashboard tracks heat and cold-related illness weekly.
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