The record-breaking heat wave gripping San Diego County is intensifying, and Santee residents without air conditioning have a local option: the Santee Branch Library on Carlton Hills Boulevard is serving as the community's designated Cool Zone through the end of the advisory.

The National Weather Service has an extreme heat warning in effect for desert regions from Wednesday, March 18, through 8 p.m. Saturday, March 21, with highs between 104 and 112 degrees Fahrenheit expected in low-desert areas. Closer to Santee, the inland valleys are forecast to approach or exceed 100 degrees mid-week — temperatures running 20 to 30 degrees above normal for mid-March.

Public health officials stress that the risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke is significant, particularly for elderly residents, young children, and those with chronic health conditions. Residents are urged to limit strenuous outdoor activities to early morning or late evening, stay well hydrated, and never leave children or pets in unattended vehicles.

For homebound residents or those with disabilities who cannot reach a cooling site independently, San Diego County offers free transportation. Call 211 to arrange a rideshare or transportation service.

Additional Cool Zone sites in the area include the El Cajon Library and East County Regional Center in El Cajon, the Adult Enrichment Center and La Mesa Library in La Mesa, and the Lemon Grove Library and Senior Center on Mt. Vernon Street in Lemon Grove. All San Diego public library branches and many city recreation centers are also open as cooling locations through the duration of the advisory.