Photos by Josh Meltzer | The Roanoke Times

Yasmeen Cotton, 11 (left), plays chase with Anthony Cotton, 13, and other family and friends at Washington Park Pool. Roanoke's pools had their pre-season weekend opening, just in time to provide some relief from the unseasonably hot weather over the past few days.

A swimmer takes a high and long dive off of the diving board at Washington Park Pool in Roanoke on Sunday.

As soon as Stacie Chase and her family left church on Sunday afternoon they raced to Fallon Park Pool to find some relief from the smoldering heat.

"Honestly, our air conditioner just broke," said Chase, a Roanoke resident, at poolside as she watched her husband and son in the water. "We came to get cooled off -- but it's so hot we can't find comfort anywhere."

Chase and her family joined hundreds of others seeking relief from the record-breaking heat this weekend, and Roanoke's pools came to the rescue with their pre-opening.

Melida McKee, recreation coordinator for Roanoke Parks and Recreation, said they picked this past weekend for the pre-opening to give children the opportunity to get out and have some fun because school is still in session until Thursday.

The pools will be closed all this week and will open for the summer at noon on Friday.

At the Fallon Park and Washington Park pools this weekend, about 1,000 swimmers got their trunks wet. On Saturday alone, Fallon Park pool recorded 520 guests and Washington Park more than 200.

"The high temperatures increased and so did our attendance," said Deborah Graham, pool manager at Washington Park.

Graham said she doesn't remember the temperature being this high last summer, and she's right.

The normal high for Roanoke during the first part of June is in the low 80s, said Jim Hudgins, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Blacksburg.

The entire East Coast has been experiencing a heat wave, however, and this smoldering weekend broke and tied records. On Saturday highs reached 96 degrees, breaking a record of 95 set in 1925. On Friday highs reached 96 degrees and tied a record set in 1939, Hudgins said.

At 2 p.m. on Sunday, highs reached 95 degrees but broke no records.

Some relief is in store, Hudgins said; today should be the last day of the heat wave.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, humidity and a weak front will keep the heat under control. Temperatures in the mid-80s can be expected by the end of the week, Hudgins said.

Cindy McFall, athletic coordinator for Roanoke Parks and Recreation, said families need to make sure they are taking all necessary safety precautions at the pool.

No flotation devices are allowed at the pools and all life vests must be U.S. Coast Guard-approved. She said these can be found in local stores including Wal-Mart and Kmart.

She also said that people of all skin complexions should wear sunscreen and that everyone should take breaks from being in the sun and water.

The pools have a partnership with the American Red Cross to give free swimming lessons, she said, and everyone is encouraged to take swimming lessons, especially children.

"When they take lessons they learn safety tips and how to save themselves -- what to do in an emergency situation," she said. "It just makes them more comfortable and teaches them how to breathe properly ... which some children have a problem with. ... Swimming is fun, refreshing and entertaining but you really need to remember to keep safety first."

For information about swimming lessons, call the Roanoke Valley American Red Cross at (540) 985-3535.