St. George Sets Another Record During Heat Wave

ST. GEORGE, Utah – Life is all about numbers — addresses, prices, even road signs — but the only number people in St. George are talking about is the temperature.

“It’s really hot,” said one father watching his daughter play in the water fountains.

We asked people what they thought the temperature was going to get to for Wednesday.

It is HOT in St. George. There’s an excessive heat warning in place. One forecast predicts 111° today. I just interviewed a local resident who says it’s only warm 😂 We’ll be live here for our @KSL5TV 5pm and 6pm newscasts. #ksltv #utwx pic.twitter.com/dipAHM4vSM

— Alex Cabrero (@KSL_AlexCabrero) August 19, 2020

“110,” said one woman.

“111,” said a man.

“I don’t know. It’s just super hot,” said a woman watching her children.

Officially, the high was 111 degrees in downtown St. George. That’s a record for Aug. 19. It’s also a number big enough for Jill Bridges to bring her grandchildren to the water fountains.

“We’re in the pool or we’re over here or we’re in the house,” said Bridges.

The water fountains are a popular spot this time of year. It’s certainly better than the hospital emergency room, where doctors said the number of visits has increased lately because of the heat.

“One of the first things we usually recommend is that people stay well hydrated,” said Dr. Rich Sorensen, an emergency physician at Dixie Regional Medical Center. “That’s probably the most important thing.”

To keep students cool, the Washington County School District designed its newer high schools and middle schools with a ground source cooling system.

It uses hundreds of wells to pump cool groundwater through walls and classrooms.

“Our systems down here are designed to maintain a comfortable temperature for our students,’ said Steven Dunham, communications director for the Washington County School District.

That system saves more than $1 million a year district-wide, compared to a traditional cooling system.

That $1 million is another big number, all in the name of staying cool.

Of course, many people here said triple-digit heat is part of living in St. George and wear it like a badge of honor.

“I mean, it’s warm, but I don’t feel like I’m melting,” said one mother at the water fountains.

Residents will also tell you the big heat is only for July and August.

“You know, I’d rather be down here for the couple of months that it’s hot than up there with the inversion and the cold,” said Bridges. “I love it here, no matter how hot it gets.”