LEWISTON — People across much of Maine were greeted Monday with searing heat and stifling humidity, as temperatures in some areas soared to the mid-90s.
In Lewiston-Auburn, temperatures hit at least 91 degrees, prompting a warning from the National Weather Service that conditions could be dangerous for some people.
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection also issued an air quality alert for coastal Maine.
Auburn officials announced Monday afternoon the city was planning to open two cooling centers. Norway Savings Bank Arena at 985 Turner St. is scheduled to be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and the Auburn Senior Community Center at 48 Pettengill Park Road from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday.
The senior center will serve as a polling place Tuesday, so it will not be open that day as a cooling center.
“If you’re feeling the heat, bring some snacks, a book and/or your mobile device, and spend some time in one of our cooling centers,” officials wrote in their announcement.
Auburn Mayor Jason Levesque reminded residents of other places to stay cool, including the Auburn Mall and other businesses with regulated temperatures.
“We continue to explore more and more areas where people can be cooled and warmed, depending on the season,” Levesque said.
Lewiston Mayor Mark Cayer said Monday the city had no imminent plan to open a cooling center, but encouraged anyone looking for help to contact the city’s Social Services Department at 207-513-3130.
Lewiston’s Kennedy Park pool is not open for the summer.
The high heat and humidity are expected to continue into Tuesday, before things ease later in the week.
For information on how to stay healthy during extreme heat, see the Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention’s website — www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/environmental-health/heat/keepcool.html.
Copy the Story LinkSend questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.