The Central Coast bore the brunt of a heat wave over the weekend that had the mercury rising into triple-digits and North County residents running for the nearest pockets of shade.

According to the National Weather Service, the weekend of hot weather, which plagued not only San Luis Obispo County but most of Southern California, was the result of a strong upper level high pressure system over the region. The unseasonably high temperatures across the board prompted the NWS to issue excessive heat warnings for much of Southern California, forecasting a prolonged period of dangerously hot temperatures. The NWS also issued a red flag warning from Santa Clarita Valley to SLO County, warning residents of critical fire conditions sparked by a combination of relative low humidity, hot temperatures and rapidly lowering fuel moistures.

Temperatures soared into triple digits for the first time this week on Wednesday, and by Thursday, Paso Robles was blitzed with sizzling temperatures reaching 105 degrees. Temperatures peaked on Friday, with a high of 107 degrees, matching an old record set for the date in 1990, according to the NWS. While many of the coastal cities experienced a slight drop in the mercury on Saturday, North County residents felt no respite, as temperatures once again crested at 108 degrees, breaking the record heat of 107 degrees set on that same day in 1970, according to the NWS. Sunday afforded North County residents some comfort as temperatures began to head back to the 100-degree mark.

The bought of hot weather over the weekend prompted the SLO County Health Department to issue public health alerts, urging all citizens to take precautions against heat related illnesses.

Dr. Craig McMillan, the county’s public health director, said heat related illnesses are particularly common during the summer months and especially during a heat wave, like the one experienced over the weekend. After a severe heat wave two years ago endangered residents of nursing homes, McMillan said that state and county health officials have been paying very close attention to all heat surges. While anyone can be overcome by extreme heat, the elderly, the very young and those with mental illnesses and chronic diseases are at higher risk for succumbing to the heat, a SLO County Public Heath Alert warns. In the young and the old, a lower reserve of body fat and fluids makes them susceptible, McMillan said. In addition, there are a number of social conditions that put those two populations at a greater risk, he said.

“Sometimes there are social conditions where you have an elderly person that is living on a fixed income and they don’t have the ability to run the air conditioner all day long,” he said. “Young people [are at greater risk], just because they aren’t aware of their limitations. An adult will run around and get a drink of water and take a rest; a kid will just keep going.”

Symptoms of heat related illness include heavy sweating, paleness, muscle cramps, tiredness, weakness, dizziness, headaches, nausea or vomiting and fainting, according to the public health department.

A life threatening condition resulting from heat exposure known as Heat Stroke can occur, the health department warns. The symptoms are an extremely high body temperature — above 103 degrees orally — red, hot and dry skin, rapid heart rate, throbbing headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion and unconsciousness.

When the heat spikes to above triple digit temperatures, McMillan warns the public to take caution.

“The most important thing that people need to know is that you can never leave your pets or your children in your car, even for a minute — that is number one,” he said.

In the time it takes to run into the store and do an errand or have a quick conversation, escalating temperatures within a car can put a child or a pet at serious risk, McMillan said.

While many counties in California set up cooling centers to offer residents some respite from the heat, SLO County instead faxed out warnings to skilled nursing home and adult day care facilities, letting them know what symptoms and signs to be observant for in their clients. The health department has also issued some tips on how residents can cool down during the peaks in the heat, including running the air conditioner, drinking plenty of non-alcoholic fluids and scheduling outdoor activities for the early morning or late evening, if possible. If one must go outdoors, the health department recommends wearing sunscreen and light colored, loose fitting clothing to protect against the rays of the sun.

Of course, many North County residents weren’t ready to give up the outdoors entirely as the heat wave hit over the weekend, and instead headed out to the pools to beat the heat.

Both the Municipal Pool, located at 28th and Oak streets, and the Centennial Pool, at 600 Nickerson Drive are open and busy for the summer months. Between the two pools, the city offers its citizens supervised lap swimming, swimming lessons, parent and me classes, adult swim lessons, adapted aquatics, competitive swim lessons for different age levels, junior lifeguard training, a competitive swimming summer league, and lessons in swim board diving. Both pools are also open for public swimming, available at the Municipal Pool Monday through Friday from 1 to 3:45 p.m. and both the Centennial Pool and the Municipal Pool Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. Entrance fees are $3 per day or swim passes can be purchased for frequent visitors.

Trine Layman, recreation marketing coordinator for the city of Paso Robles, said that while Paso Robles’ superheated summers have a lot to do with the pools’ popularity, there are a number of things that make the Paso Robles pools a good option for families looking to cool down.

“It is just a great place,” she said. “We have new shade structures, so it is really comfortable for the parents, it is very inexpensive to use the pool for the free swim, the classes are absolutely wonderful; it is just a great opportunity for the kids to become more water safe and really grow in their safety.”

Over the stifling weekend, Paso Robles parent Ken Hall took his two kids, ages 6 and 8, to the Centennial Pool two days in row and said that he will likely be back throughout the summer. In addition to cooling off in the water, Hall made sure that he and his brood were heavily slathered with SPF 30 sunscreen to protect against the damaging rays of the sun. He was also taking some other measures to protect against heat related illnesses.

“They are both water drinkers, so we keep them hydrated and look for signs for changes in mood or behavior if they are getting too much sun, plus I am only letting them get an hour and half [in the pool] today,” he said. “I don’t want to overdo it.”

Hall said that the pool was a good option for parents and kids during the summer months.

“It is very well organized, they have got a lot of good life guards, a fun slide for the kids, it is a very clean place; it is nice, very nice,” he said.

Forecasters predict temperatures will fall into the low 90s through the beginning of next week. For more information, visit the NWS Web site at www.nws.noaa.gov.

For more information on the Municipal or Centennial pools, visit www.prcity.com/government/departments/recreation/index.asp.