116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Heat advisory in effect for Eastern Iowa this weekend
Several public spaces around the county will be open as cooling centers for residents
Aug. 15, 2025 4:25 pm, Updated: Aug. 15, 2025 5:28 pm
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Meteorologists with the National Weather Service are warning Eastern Iowans that triple-digit heat indexes are coming this weekend.
The National Weather Service’s Quad Cities bureau has issued a heat advisory that will go into effect Saturday afternoon and remain in place through Sunday, if not longer.
Saturday’s heat indexes are projected to peak around 100 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
This comes as rounds of “strong to severe” storms may make their way through Eastern Iowa and northwest Illinois Friday evening. Strong wind gusts of 50-70mp are possible. The highest wind speeds are favored in Iowa, the NWS reports, near and north of Interstate 80.
During times of intense heat, the National Weather Service recommends drinking plenty of water and drinks with electrolytes, and avoiding alcohol or caffeinated beverages.
The NWS also recommends that Iowans wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing that has light colors to keep cool.
When recreating outside, it is suggested that people take regular breaks in the shade or indoors away from the sun and heat.
The American Red Cross said that people should also plan ahead of the heat.
The organization said this could include making sure that your air conditioning is working in your home, make sure you have access to local resources from your city, county or local weather service and plan where you could find cool areas in case you don’t have access to air conditioning at home or in case your air conditioning stops working.
Where to find heat relief
Heat relief locations can be found throughout Linn County, but some that will be open this weekend include:
- Cedar Rapids Lindale Mall, 4444 1st Ave. NE. Saturday 10 a.m. — 8 p.m., Sunday noon — 6 p.m.
- Cedar Rapids Downtown Library, 450 5th Ave. SE., Saturday 9 a.m.— 5 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m.— 5 p.m.
- Cedar Rapids Ladd Library, 3750 Williams Blvd. SW, Saturday 9 a.m.— 5 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m.— 5 p.m.
- Center Point Community Center, 720 Main St., Saturday 10 a.m. — 2 p.m.
- Coggon Public Library, 216 E. Main St., Saturday 9 a.m.— noon
- Ely Public Library, 1595 Dows St., Saturday 9 a.m.— 4 p.m.
- Fairfax Public Library, 313 Vanderbilt St., Saturday 9 a.m.— 2 p.m.
- Hiawatha Library, 150 W. Willman St., Saturday 10 a.m.— 5 p.m.
- Marion Lowe Park Arts & Environment Center, 4500 N. 10th St., Saturday 9 a.m.— 4 p.m.
- Marion Police Department Lobby, 6315 Highway 151, available 24 hours.
- Marion Public Library Saturday, 1101 6th Ave., 9 a.m.— 5 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m.— 5 p.m.
- Mount Vernon Lester Buresh Center, 855 Palisades Rd., Saturday 10 a.m.— 6 p.m., Sunday noon — 6 p.m.
- Springville Community Room & Library, 264 Broadway, Saturday 11 a.m.— 3 p.m.
- Springville United Methodist Church, 169 Broadway, Sunday 8 a.m.— 11 a.m.
A full list of heat relief locations throughout Linn County — including locations that are open on weekdays — can be found at the county’s Emergency Management website, bit.ly/linncooling.
Before going, the county suggests residents confirm the cooling center’s hours by calling ahead or checking the facility’s social media page.
Olivia Cohen covers energy and environment for The Gazette and is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues. She is also a contributing writer for the Ag and Water Desk, an independent journalism collaborative focusing on the Mississippi River Basin.
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Comments: olivia.cohen@thegazette.com
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