While temperatures throughout much of Maine will be in the 90s during a heat wave Tuesday through Thursday, the midcoast area will remain cooler along the coastline.
Cold ocean temperatures and a sea breeze will keep the area in the mid-80s or lower, said John Cannon, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Gray. With ocean temperatures in the low 50s, the southwest winds will bring a brisk sea breeze to keep midcoast residents cool.
“That’s the best place to be right now,” Cannon said.
The effect dies off only a few miles inland, though, Cannon said. And anywhere south of the Wiscasset area won’t feel the effects of the sea breeze, since the southwest winds will parallel the shore instead of blowing right onto the coast. The sea breeze will cool down Rockland up into the Belfast area and even into the Down East region near Ellsworth and Bar Harbor.
For anyone who wants to take a trip to the Rockland area to escape the heat this week, Cannon warned that ocean waters are still very cold. Anyone who wishes to take paddlecraft into the ocean should remain cautious.
The heatwave will bring the lake and ocean temperatures up though, Cannon said. Lakes will respond sooner, but as summer comes along, the ocean will warm up as well.
Cannon said that people in Maine without air conditioning may experience cumulative heat stress from consecutive hot days and warm nights. He advised that people should drink plenty of water, stay out of the sun and check on relatives and neighbors.
