Monday brought potential record breaking heat to Bakersfield, however it didn't quite break the record. The previous record was 109 degrees, set in 1944, and Monday saw 108 degrees. With heat like this, it's important to stay hydrated and cool to avoid heat stroke.
However, some locals don't have air conditioning in their personal homes, so they're forced to find alternate options to stay cool. One local woman, Tiffany Glidwell, has purchased three large fans for her home, but she says it's still unbearable.
James Seay with Dignity Health says for people like Tiffany, the best option is to get out of the house and go to a place, like the mall, that has air conditioning.
Another option is to visit a cooling center. There are many throughout Kern County. Temperatures need to reach 105 degrees in the valley and Kern River Valley and 108 degrees in the desert communities for them to open. However, the Kern River Valley and desert area centers were not open for the record breaking heat on Monday. The Kern County Parks Department says this is because they decide whether or not they will be open the previous Friday, and as of last Friday, they did not expect temperatures to reach such high numbers.
