Heat Wave: Amid Pandemic, San Francisco Endures As Popular Draw For Those Trying To Escape Soaring Temps
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) – As temperatures soar during the Labor Day weekend heat wave, not even the coronavirus pandemic could stop San Francisco from being a popular draw for those trying to beat the heat.
After the sun set, people showed up to ocean beach near John F Kennedy Drive in Burning Man-like fashion with decked out and colorfully lit bikes and costumes. The music pumped through the air. SFPD was on hand to ensure safety.
KPIX 5 also spotted a number of bonfires, which are prohibited during Spare the Air days.
A few hours earlier, Adrian Henry and his family drove from Lodi to Ocean Beach to escape the heat.
"There's definitely a heat wave today in the valley, about 103, 104, so a lot cooler here," he said.
The parking lots were full, and the beach was busy for much of the day. Several people took advantage of the waves to cool off.
"It was like 80 something degrees, I definitely enjoyed the ocean, kids played in the water. I hopped in for the first time in like 20 years. I've been born and raised in San Francisco and I was all the way in the ocean, it was refreshing," said Nasser Halteh of Brisbane.
This is the first full weekend Hayes street between Laguna and Franklin is closed to car traffic to allow for more outdoor dining and space for social distancing.
"So far, so good, people love it, and the kind of weather like this is perfect," said Chez Maman owner Marc Sempere. "So we're glad to have the authorization to close Hayes and make more people coming, and it's pretty safe."
Italian hotspot a Mano was consistently busy. Business picked up even more as the sun went down.
"A Mano is definitely a restaurant that people come from outside the city to experience, which is really wonderful, and I'm sure we'll get a lot more of that with the Labor Day Weekend," said Assistant General Manager Brigid Martin. "But it's also a lot of locals too, which is really nice. We have a lot of our regulars who come in every week."
Sunday is expected to be another hot day with temperatures in San Francisco in the mid-80s. The Spare the Air alert for the Bay Area has been extended through Labor Day.
