Keeping cool on the North Shore

By Ryan Mooney, Globe Correspondent

With temperatures expected to reach the low-90's and humidity at upwards of 50 percent, the first dangerous heat of the summer has reached the North Shore, and word is that it's likely to rival anything experienced this summer, or even past years.

Aside from public places with air conditioning - such as malls, movie theaters and libraries - residents of the North Shore are encouraged to check their local senior centers, as some towns open their senior centers to the public in the event of a blistering heat wave.

The Salem Council on Aging will have its doors at 5 Broad Street open to the public until 8 p.m. today and tomorrow, according to director Doug Bollen, for anyone who needs some time to relax in a cool place.

City officials in Peabody are setting up a public "cooling station" at the Torigian Community Life Center at 79 Central Street. Details have not been finalized quite yet, but Bill Pasquale of the health department expects extended hours today and possibly tomorrow.

The Danvers Senior Center at 25 Stone Street is also air-conditioned and open to the public during its regular operating hours, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Click here for more tips on how to beat the heat, or visit the Centers for Disease Control webpages on how to prevent heat-related illness and the symptoms of it.