The Lewiston and Auburn area, along with most of the state, has been grappling with sweltering temperatures and an excessive heat warning this week.

According to National Weather Forecast’s records for the area, 2011 was the last time another excessive heat warning was issued.

The criteria for an excessive heat warning is when the heat index is expected to reach 105 degrees or greater, lasting for two hours or more in an area.

“Right now, we’re underneath the influence of a large high-pressure system that’s centered towards the mid-Atlantic coast today. That prevents cooler temperatures from coming down from continental Canada,” said Greg Cornwell, a meteorologist with National Weather Service’s Gray/Portland office.

“The rough shape of this high-pressure system is a circle or a large orb. Sometimes, it can be nicknamed a ‘dome’ in the sense that it’s a moving area of steadier weather, transporting warm temperatures across the country in certain seasons,” Cornwell clarified.

While the system’s movement is normal for the season, its strength is rare for this part of Maine.

“This high pressure system is moving off to the south, the natural kind of flow pattern,” Cornwell said. “It takes a special setup of these pressure systems to have this value of heat that we issue heat advisories and excessive heat warnings for. Those are fairly rare in our area.”

Forecasts indicate a high of around 95 degrees for Thursday’s max temperature.

With high humidity, Cornwell said that “the (Lewiston/Auburn) area will be pushing into around 105 degrees again for the heat index.”

Strong thunderstorms are also expected Thursday.

“Those storms will probably start developing around noontime, and then through the remainder of the afternoon and early evening,” Cornwell said.

According to forecasts, the area is likely to see storms that could contain gusty winds and maybe some small hail.

“These storms are moving slow, which means they are likely to drop a lot of heavy rain as they move over these areas,” Cornwell warned.

As the National Weather Service’s excessive heat warning in the Androscoggin County remains effective until Thursday evening, several cities have opened cooling centers.

At 45 Park St., across from Park Street Garage in Lewiston, a cooling center was set up with the help of several volunteers from the community.

By the early afternoon, 12 people had come through to seek refuge from the heat outside.

“A couple of them were here all morning, but some of them have come and gone. Mostly they come in and cool off, get some water, and then leave,” said Megan Parks, a counselor in Lewiston and a member of the Lewiston School Committee.

“I was expecting more people here, but again I know from driving around, being around the city, there’s a lot less foot traffic today,” said Lewiston police Officer Ryan Gagnon.

Some volunteers had helped spread the word about the cooling centers.

“We saw it advertised on Facebook,” said Patti Neff, who lives across the street from the cooling center with her husband, Mike. “We walked around a little bit yesterday to talk to the homeless people, to let them know there will be a cooling center for the next two days.”

“I’d rather see them here than out there,” said Mike Neff.

The Maine Emergency Management Agency has a list of cooling centers available throughout the state, accessible by calling 211 or at maine.gov/mema/response-recovery/mass-care.

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