The city of Vancouver has turned on the water play features at multiple parks in time for what promises to be a very hot weekend.
The Esther Short Park and Vancouver Waterfront Park water features opened Wednesday, and will remain open between dawn and dusk through the end of summer.
Both parks offer waterfalls and a stream for park-goers to enjoy. The city asks users to be respectful of the equipment and others during busy times.
“Visitors can help prevent damage to the features’ pumps and filters by keeping food and pets out of the water, which will keep these much-loved park amenities running smoothly throughout the season,” according to a press release. “The water used in both features is continuously circulated and treated; it is not safe to ingest.”
The National Weather Service forecasts a high of 80 degrees Friday, 91 degrees Saturday and 92 degrees Sunday. Typically, daytime highs this time of year are around 68 degrees.
A heat dome — a circulating bubble of warm air close to the ground — has appeared in western Canada and will keep the Pacific Northwest hot until next week, according to a Wednesday report from The Weather Channel. Temperatures will likely break several daily records.
“We expect the heat to gradually ease off by mid-late next week, first in Western Washington and Northwest Oregon, but more gradually in interior parts of Eastern Washington, Eastern Oregon and the Northern Rockies,” the report said.
Next week, the weather will remain sunny and warm, with expected highs of 90 degrees Monday, 87 degrees Tuesday and 84 degrees Wednesday.
