Aug. 22—ANDERSON — As temperatures soar into the high 90s and the heat index rises to 100 degrees, cooling centers are available in Madison County this week.

The record high temperature for Anderson later this week is 97 degrees, according to Micah Mitchell with Madison County Weather Updates.

Mitchell said Tuesday that Anderson could be looking at new record high temperatures with the long-range forecast calling for 90 degrees on Wednesday and 95 degrees on Thursday.

He said the warmest August temperature ever officially recorded for Anderson was 102 degrees on Aug. 5, 1918.

Anderson has also recorded 100 degree August highs on Aug. 6, 1918, Aug. 12, 1918, Aug. 13, 1936, Aug. 17, 1988, Aug. 19, 1936, Aug. 21 and 22, 1936 and Aug. 29, 1953, according to Mitchell.

"The record highs for every day this week were set in 1936," he said. "The records highs for Wednesday and Thursday are each 97 degrees. Those records are reachable, especially Thursday."

Mitchell said August 1936 was the warmest August on record in Anderson and the warmest month on record was in July 1936.

With the National Weather Service issuing a heat advisory through midnight Friday, the Madison County Emergency Management Agency has issued a list of cooling centers that will be open.

—Eleos Center, 601 Meridian St., Anderson, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

—Salvation Army, 1615 Meridian St., Anderson, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

—Pendleton Public Library, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

—Lapel Branch Library, noon-7 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

—Ascension St. Vincent Mercy Hospital, Elwood, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily.

—Anderson Public Library, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

—First Nazarene Community Center, 2301 Meridian St., Anderson, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

The National Weather Service recommends drinking plenty of fluids, staying in an air-conditioned room, staying out of the sun, checking on relatives and neighbors, making sure children and pets are not left in an unattended vehicle, and limiting outdoor activities to the early morning and evening.

Jeff Dyer, director of the local Emergency Management Agency, noted that a heat index of 105 degrees or higher triggers the opening of cooling centers. The heat index measures what the temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity and air temperature are factored.

Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 765-640-4863.