Jun. 20—The National Weather Service issued a series of alerts about severe thunderstorm moving through Maine Thursday afternoon, fueled by a third day of extreme heat.

All major population areas, such as Portland, Lewiston, Bangor and Augusta, could experience severe storms beginning late Thursday afternoon and into the evening, possibly producing hail, wind gusts of up to 70 mph and lightning.

The rain or thunderstorms will also bring cooler weather.

“The backbone of the heat breaks this evening as strong to severe storms move through the region,” according to a 3 p.m. update by the National Weather Service in Gray.

Special Marine Warning including the Coastal Waters from Cape Elizabeth, ME to Merrimack River, MA out 25 NM, Coastal Waters from Port Clyde, ME to Cape Elizabeth, ME out 25 NM, Coastal Waters from Stonington, ME to Port Clyde, ME out 25 NM and Casco Bay until 6:00 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/cxEqSjRSIn

— NWS Gray (@NWSGray) June 20, 2024

Temperatures Friday through Sunday will be cooler, with highs in the low- to mid-70s in southern Maine, with periods of rain. Conditions are expected to be pleasant with highs around 80 degrees early next week.

Mainers dealt with the sweltering conditions on Thursday as best as possible, including going to various cooling centers, swimming in the ocean, lakes or backyard pools, or hunkering down in air conditioning.

Jordan Williams, 40, was flagging for an oil company on Forest Ave Thursday, sporting a neon vest as he stood in the street under the hot sun, directing traffic away from a construction site with a “Slow” sign.

Williams said he worked as a chef for 20 years, so was used to the feeling.

“This is average temperature for a kitchen,” Williams said, a towel thrown over his shoulder for sweat.

Timothy Mcninch, 63, was on break while flagging for the state’s Interstate 295 bridge replacement project in Yarmouth. He and his partner took turns standing on the road, a “Slow” sign in hand.

“It’s hot, no other way to put it, staggering hot,” Mcninch said. “Even when you’re getting a break.”

Mcninch has been flagging for five years, and before that he worked portable rock crushers. But he said he hasn’t developed a special routine for working hot days.

“Just deal with it,” Mcninch said. “Put your sunglasses on and go for it.”

Mcninch worked outside yesterday, also, but said today only feels a little hotter.

“When you’re standing on the pavement, 10 degrees one way or the other doesn’t make or break it,” Mcninch said.

Paul Merrill, a spokesperson for the Maine Department of Transportation, said contracted workers were sent home early Thursday at the state’s I-295 bridge replacement project in Falmouth because of the heat.

Merrill said as far as department maintenance crews go, no shifts were shortened but some work was rearranged.

He said the department trains crews annually on how to identify potential safety hazards from extreme heat and how to acclimate to the high temperatures, including factors like hydration, medical conditions, heat illness symptoms and first-aid responses.

In times of extreme heat, Central Maine Power workers who are outside, such as line crews, will “cycle work,” with one person working as another cools off.

Workers also are encouraged to drink water and hydrate and crews spend time in air-conditioned trucks to break up the time they’re working outdoors.

Roberto Naver, 89, sat under a tree on Portland’s Western Prom Thursday morning, working on a crossword puzzle and trying not to overheat.

“I just keep walking and looking for the shade, you know?” Naver said.

Naver lived in Wisconsin and Colorado before moving to Portland in 2012.

“I grew up in cold weather,” he said. “This kind of weather, I don’t think anybody likes it. We are used to cold weather.”

Extreme heat makes it feel hard to breathe sometimes, he said. “Not only for me, but for a lot of people,” he said.

Tim Currier, general manager of Maine Hardware, said they are seeing an “uptick in air conditioner and fan sales, kiddie pools.”

“It’s been a pretty busy week. We haven’t run out of anything yet so that’s good,” Currier said.

Staff Writers Ella Spitz, Nikki Harris and Stephen Singer contributed to this story.

This story will be updated.

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