Richmond and Harpswell have opened cooling centers for area residents to escape the heat Tuesday.
Richmond’s designated cooling center is being hosted at the Richmond Area Senior Center at 314 Front Street, across from the public boat launch. The senior center is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
Harpswell is also hosting a cooling center at the town office located at 263 Mountain Road, according to the Maine Emergency Management Agency.
Schools across Southern Maine dismissed students early Monday or canceled school altogether as the late spring heat wave set, with temperatures reaching the high 80s to 90s.
Wiscasset schools dismissed students at noon Monday while other midcoast districts, including Brunswick and Bath, elected to keep kids in school.
Along with the extreme temperatures, the state warned people against strenuous outdoor activity Monday due to low air quality as ground-level ozone concentrations were expected to reach unhealthy levels.
A complete list of cooling centers around the state can be found on MEMA’s website.
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