Cooling off in the water this weekend? Here’s what you need to know

As the warmer weather starts to roll in, thousands of people will be heading to the water to cool off, but officials are warning people to stay safe when entering Washington’s lakes and rivers.

Pinpoint Alert Days issued for warm temperatures and cold water danger Sunday and Monday

“What surprises people is the rivers. If they get in there, it’s gonna be bone-chilling, cold,” said Peter Mongillo with Snohomish Regional Fire.

Mongillo wants to remind people that rivers and lakes can be frigid, despite the heat outside.

“You can get your energy sapped very quickly… If you fill up with, you know, water in your lungs, you’re gonna sink like a rock,” he explained.

According to the National Weather Service, cold shock can happen in 50-to-60-degree water.

Here are the current water temperatures in Western Washington:

Lake Washington: 66°

Lake Sammamish: 70°

Green Lake: 65°

Puget Sound (Seattle Aquarium): 56°

Lake Stevens: 62°

Lake Ballinger: 64°

Lake Tapps: 51°

Tolt River: 52°

Snoqualmie River: 52°

Due to these cold temperatures, Mongillo urges everyone to wear life vests — even if they know how to swim.

“Especially in the rivers, your hands become less functional. You can’t grab onto things as easily, you can’t swing your arms as easily, but you know what, if you got that life jacket on you’re at least you’re afloat,” he added.

Fire officials can’t emphasize enough that parents keep an eye on their kids in the water and don’t get distracted looking down at their phones.

Mongillo says that when the weather starts to warm up, they see an increase in water rescue calls.

“Sadly, the first warm weekend of the year, especially here in the Pacific Northwest, we can set our clocks to it because that’s when drownings really start picking up in the lakes and the rivers,” he said.