BELLEVUE, Wash. — Last week's heatwave is history, but it's still causing problems at several beaches in western Washington, where it's not safe to swim because of high bacteria levels.
Three King County beaches are closed. Several saltwater beaches in the region are under advisories, meaning it's not safe for children, older people, and those with underlying health conditions to swim.
The Washington Department of Ecology says last week's extreme heat likely helped bacteria grow quickly.
Water temperatures were recorded as high as 70 degrees, well above the normal 57 degrees seen in the summer months.
Ecology also says an unusually high number of people, and pets, crowding beaches during the heatwave may have caused the higher bacteria levels.
Preston Alexander and his son Boyd were ready to dive into Lake Washington at Newcastle Beach in Bellevue on Monday. Then they saw the warnings.
“I still kind of want to get in the water but at the same time I don’t think it’s worth our kids getting sick for it,” he said, while his son played in the sand.