ROME — With the extreme temperatures and humidity over the last week, Oneida and Herkimer counties are offering Cooling Stations — senior centers, libraries and municipal buildings where local residents can seek retreat from the heat.

Over the last week, Rome Rescue Mission, 413 E. Dominick St., has seen an increase of people coming to seek shelter or get some kind of reprieve from the hot weather.

"Over the last week, we've definitely been encouraging people to come in to get cool," said Rescue Mission Executive Director Matthew A. Miller. "And people are coming in more to cool down and get something to eat and something cold to drink."

He said, "We're open seven days a week and we want people to seek us out if they have a need to, or just check in. If you're overheated, just come inside and make sure you're drinking plenty of fluids. We always have water and something to eat."

According to the National Weather Service in Binghamton a heat advisory was in effect for much of Central New York until Monday evening, including Oneida and Madison counties. Scattered rain showers and thunderstorms widespread throughout the region brought heavy downpours at times and with it the potential for flash flooding.

With the heat and humidity expected through today, meteorologists said there would be some relief by mid-week with a cold frontal passage moving through the region. By Friday and through the weekend, high temperatures will drop from the mid 70s, with lows in the low 50s.

"Today will be last hot day for Rome for at least a week," said National Weather Service at Binghamton Meteorologist Jake Chalupski on Monday. "A cold front moves through overnight and Tuesday temperatures will be down to the upper 70s, approaching 80, so it's slowly receding but still feel a little muggy in the morning hours. But as you move into the afternoon and evening, temperatures will be down to low the 60s. Then you'll be in store for a lovely rest of the week."

In the Rome area, highs Wednesday and Thursday will be in the mid to upper 70s, with dew points in the lower 60s, making for pleasant seasonable weather, Chalupski said. But moving into the weekend, area residents may get their first taste of fall-like weather.

"There's an air mass dropping in from Canada and highs on Friday will struggle to reach the mid 70s, with dew points of around 50, so it will be very dry and very cool for this time of year," Chalupski explained. "It will pretty much be a departure from the normal and on Friday, it will be somewhere around 10 degrees cooler than it normally is this time of year, so it will definitely be a first-taste-of-fall type thing."

The weekend (Aug. 13 and 14), will be similar, with dry weather. By early next week however, Chalupski said temperatures will be back up in the mid 80s.

While the heat index and hazardous weather outlook is expected to calm, as temperatures rise again, neighbors may still need some reprieve from the heat and humidity. In such circumstances there are several Cooling Station locations throughout Oneida and neighboring counties where residents can go to beat the heat.

The following is a list of shelters and/or cooling stations:

Oneida County

Copper City Community Connection, 305 E. Locust St., Rome, 315-337-8230; Dunham Public Library, 76 Main St., Whitesboro, 315-736-9734; Jervis Public Library, 613 N. Washington St,. Rome, 315-336-4570; Kirkland Town Library, 55 1/2 College St., Clinton, 315-853-2038; New Hartford Senior Center, 1 Sherman St., New Hartford, 315-724-8966; New York Mills Senior Center, 320 Main St., New York Mills, 315-736-7360; North Utica Senior Center, 50 Riverside Drive, Utica, 315-724-2430; Parkway Senior Center, 220 Memorial Parkway, Utica, 315-223-3073; Sangertown Mall, Seneca Turnpike, New Hartford, 315-797-8520; Sherrill Kenwood Library, 543 Sherrill Road, Sherrill, 315-363-5980; and South Rome Senior Center, 112 Ridge St., Rome, 315-339-6457.

Herkimer County

Basloe Library, 245 N. Main St., Herkimer, 315-866-1733; Dolgeville Manheim Library, 24 N. Main St., Dolgeville, 315-429-3421; Ilion Library, 79 West St., Ilion, 315-894-5028; Ilion Municipal Building, 45 Morgan St., Ilion, 315-894-9911; Little Falls Library, 10 Waverly Place, Little Falls, 315-823-1542; Little Falls YMCA, 15 Jackson St., Little Falls, 315-823-1740; Mohawk YMCA, 83 E. Main St., Mohawk, 315-866-6570; Village of Frankfort Office Building, 110 Railroad St., Frankfort, 315-895-7651.