AUGUSTA — Record heat hit central Maine on Tuesday, easily smashing high temperature benchmarks that were set more than 60 years ago.

The National Weather Service measured a temperature of 98 degrees at the Augusta State Airport at 1:53 p.m., easily breaking the daily high temperature record set at 93 degrees on June 24, 1963. NWS meteorologist Jon Palmer said Tuesday’s heat likely tied the monthly record for high temperature in Augusta — another 98-degree day on June 19, 1995. As of 3 p.m. Tuesday, Augusta’s all-time temperature record still stood at 100 degrees, set on Aug. 5, 1955.

Heat index, which takes into account both temperature and humidity, peaked at 106 degrees, after almost reaching 90 degrees in Augusta by 8 a.m.

Tuesday’s heat made Mainers sweat for the second day in a row, after temperatures crept into the 90s Monday. The June 23 record was also broken Monday, with an 89-degree high temperature in Augusta.

Much of central Maine, including all of Kennebec County and southern Somerset County, was under an extreme heat warning from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday. National Weather Service meteorologists called for people to stay indoors, with air conditioning on, for as long as possible while temperatures skyrocketed outside.

“We look at like a temperature like 97 degrees and we think, ‘Oh, it’s hot,'” Palmer said. “But I don’t think we necessarily recognize how dangerous some of these temperature readings are. Today is a particularly dangerous day for heat.”

In fact, most of the eastern half of the country was under a heat wave. Major population centers like Boston, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., were also under extreme heat warnings.

Wednesday is expected to be another warm day, but not quite as record-teasing. The National Weather Service forecasts high temperatures close to 90 degrees across central Maine.

Thursday is expected to be much cooler, with high temperatures in the upper 70s behind a cold front that is forecasted to pass through Maine.