SOUTH BEND — Hoosiers can expect to celebrate America’s 250th birthday week with temperatures true to the summer season.
The National Weather Service (NWS) forecasts temperatures in the South Bend area to be in the lower-to-mid 90s Fahrenheit beginning Monday, June 29, and lasting nearly all week, through Saturday, July 4. The temperatures are creating an anticipated “heat dome” across more than half the country.
Chief Meteorologist Matt Engelbrecht of WNDU-TV, a reporting partner of The Tribune, called next week’s expected 100- to 105-degree heat index for five straight days “a proper heat wave for this area,” following a rather wet and chilly spring.
“What concerns me the most as a chief meteorologist is that by Thursday and Friday the heat and the extent that this heat is going to have on the body will be felt,” he said. “We may be able to handle Monday or Tuesday with the heat. It’s when you start getting into day five, day six, day seven with the heat index at 95 or above, that it can really start to do some damage — especially if you’re not mentally prepared.”
Engelbrecht advised the best thing for area residents to do to ensure they are prepared is to think proactively, things such as building water breaks into your schedule or staying inside near air conditioning can make all the difference.
“With this heat wave that we have coming up the next couple of days, start thinking about different places you can go to stay cool … and then just be realistic of your expectations,” Engelbrecht said. “If you start to get a little overheated, if you start to sweat a little bit more, take a break. It’s OK in these kind of situations. The best part about beating the heat and a heat wave is that we can prepare now to make sure we stay safe later as long as we’re doing things appropriately.”
Available resources to keep cool
South Bend and Mishawaka have a combined 12 cooling centers open to the public, as The Tribune previously reported. These centers include:
Howard Park Event Center, 604 E. Jefferson Blvd., South Bend:
● Monday-Friday: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
● Saturday: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
● Sunday: noon-6 p.m.
● On July 3-4, open from noon to 8 p.m.
St. Joseph County Public Library Main Branch, 304 S. Main St., South Bend:
● Monday-Thursday: 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
● Friday-Saturday: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
● Closed Sundays
● Call for holiday hours: 574-282-4646
Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Library Main Branch, 209 Lincolnway E., Mishawaka:
● Monday-Thursday: 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
● Friday: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
● Saturday: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
● Closed Sundays
● Call for holiday hours: 574-259-5277
The cities also have a combined 15 splash pads open this summer.
Mishawaka
On June 26, a spokesperson for the city’s parks department told The Tribune that all Mishawaka splash pads will be operation from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week.
Battell Park, 301 W. Mishawaka Ave., Mishawaka.
Crawford Park, 445 N. Niles Ave., Mishawaka.
Central Park, 295 E. Mishawaka Ave., Mishawaka.
Mary Gibbard Park, 1024 Somerset Ave., Mishawaka.
Rose Park, 1400 S. West St., Mishawaka.
Twin Branch Park, 3900 Lincoln Way E., Mishawaka.
South Bend
On June 26, a spokesperson for the city’s parks department told The Tribune that all South Bend splash pads, with the exception of O’Brien Park and Kennedy Park — which are closed for renovations — will be operational from 10 or 11 a.m. to 7 or 9 p.m. (locations vary), seven days a week from Memorial to Labor Day.
Charles Black Community Center, 3419 W Washington St. South Bend.
Coquillard Park, 1235 Chalfant St., South Bend.
Fremont Park, 1800 Fremont St., South Bend.
Howard Park, 219 S. Saint Louis Blvd., South Bend.
LaSalle Park, 3419 W. Washington St., South Bend.
Potawatomi Park, 500 S. Greenlawn Ave., South Bend.
Pulaski Park, 1308 Huron St., South Bend.
Phil St. Clair Park, 1300 S. Mayflower Road, South Bend.
Southeast Park, 630 Wenger St., South Bend.
“This is not a record-breaking heat event, but it is a dangerous heat event for Michiana,” Engelbrecht said. “We do not have to break temperature records for it to be dangerous to our community and to our bodies. The best part about beating the heat, and a heat wave, is that we can prepare now to make sure that we stay safe later — as long as we’re doing things appropriately.”
Email South Bend Tribune summer 2026 intern Katherine Hill at KTHill@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: South Bend area braces for ‘dangerous’ week of extreme heat
Reporting by Katherine Hill, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Katherine Hill, South Bend Tribune | USA TODAY Network
