Maine

Maine Deals With Extreme Heat

NBC Universal, Inc.

Monday's heat extended way up into Maine.

Heat advisories stretched from Kittery in the south all the way to towns well north of Bangor, like Lincoln.

Cooling centers were opened in at least 10 cities and towns, including Topsham, Auburn, York, Biddeford, Bridgton, South Portland and Portland.

By Monday afternoon, Acadia National Park staff said they had responded to "multiple heat-related calls for assistance visitors."

In a tweet, they added that "strenuous outdoor activity is not encouraged," and that people in the park should "dress appropriately, know your fitness level, drink plenty of fluids."

The heat also impacted Maine's numerous summer kids' camps, a number of which began their seasons over this past weekend.

According to Ron Hall, the executive director of Maine Summer Camps, a group that represents around 150 summer camps for kids in Maine, camps were "really utilizing their ponds and lakes," as well as setting up hydration stations, using outdoor COVID-19 dining spaces under tents for shade and bringing out water slides they otherwise might have used for Fourth of July celebrations.

"Instead of a basketball practice, they might be doing water polo or water basketball," he said.

Overall, high temperatures in Maine pushed or exceeded records for June 28, with Bangor tying its record of 94 degrees, Portland missing its record of 98 degrees by one degree, and Augusta breaking a record of 93 degrees from 1991 with a new high of 94.

With another day of high heat expected, a number of cooling centers across the state planned to be open a second day on Tuesday.

Contact Us