Penn declares campus ‘Red Day’ as temperatures reach triple digits

Extreme heat on Thursday in Philadelphia prompted Penn Facilities and Real Estate Services to declare a “Red Day,” with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees.

The blistering temperatures come amid preparations for America’s semiquincentennial on Penn’s campus and across the city. In a statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian, a FRES spokesperson wrote that July 3 is “anticipated to be declared” a Red Day as well.

The National Weather Service has issued an Extreme Heat Warning lasting until 8 p.m. on July 4. The agency wrote that “dangerously hot conditions” are expected with “heat index values between 105 and 115 degrees expected each day” and warm overnight temperatures offering no relief.

The FRES spokesperson referenced a June 11 article by Penn Sustainability detailing recommendations for residents handling the heat wave. According to the article, Red Days are designated when “conditions indicate the regional electric grid is likely to be under peak stress,” often during “some of the hottest and most humid afternoon hours of the summer.”

According to the release, Red Days are “planned for months in advance” by FRES, which works with schools and centers during those times to avoid “use of nonessential spaces during peak periods” in order to “prevent disruptions” to the University’s electrical system.

Penn Sustainability’s article also stated that, while “system-level decisions have the largest impact,” individual actions can also help to reduce energy use. These measures include closing blinds or shades, and unplugging appliances when possible.

In a Thursday email to residents of Harnwell College House, Penn Residential Services wrote that “extra demand” is being placed on the University’s cooling systems, adding that residents “may also experience cooling unit shutdowns in common areas” for energy conservation purposes.

On Thursday, Philadelphia reached 103 degrees at 3:15 p.m., a temperature tying with the July 2 daily record set in 1901. The city’s all-time high is 106 degrees, which occurred on Aug. 7, 1918.

At the time of publication, the NWS forecasts highs of 103 and 100 degrees for July 3 and 4, respectively, bringing extreme heat to America 250 celebrations planned throughout the weekend.

The FRES spokesperson wrote that preparations for the heat during Fourth of July activities are “best addressed by the individual event organizers, schools, centers, or other units sponsoring those activities, as they are responsible for event-specific planning and operations.”

FRES previously declared a Red Day on June 11, when temperatures hit 97 degrees. 

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