Skylar Watson, 5, keeps cool in the spray of a water stream at the Sprayground Splashpad at Citizens Park in Aiken, SC., Tuesday afternoon May 28, 2019. [MICHAEL HOLAHAN/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE] ▲ Ethan Paro, 7, left, and Skylar Watson, 5, slip down the water slide at the Sprayground Splashpad at Citizens Park in Aiken, SC., Tuesday afternoon May 28, 2019. [MICHAEL HOLAHAN/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE] ▲ Sophia Brown, 9, keeps cool in the spray of a water fountain at the Sprayground Splashpad at Citizens Park in Aiken, SC., Tuesday afternoon May 28, 2019. [MICHAEL HOLAHAN/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE] ▲

Slight relief from triple digit temperatures will be coming next week.

Temperatures will dip into the mid-to-low 90s but the record heat wave will continue at least through Thursday, according to the National Weather Service's Columbia Office. The past four days have broken daily high temperature records in Augusta by reaching 100 degrees or more. Leonard Vaughan, service hydrologist at the National Weather Service's Columbia Office, said that also marks the longest consecutive period during May where temperatures have been at least 100 degrees.

This is the third hottest May on record with an average temperature of 76.7 degrees. If the heat continues, Augusta could beat the second hottest May, which occurred in 1896 with an average temperature of 76.8 degrees. The hottest May was in 1933 with an average temperature of 77.9.

As temperatures continue to hit triple digits, Richmond and Columbia counties are letting residents know that cooling centers are open.

The Augusta Fire Department has nine cooling centers, and Columbia County has six. In Richmond County, the cooling centers are community areas that are already open during the week, with only one, Robert Howard Community Center, open on Saturday.

Hours and days vary for each. Chief Christopher James encourages the community to take advantage of these centers.

"Citizens who are looking for a place to cool off should consider the cooling centers in our community." James said in a release. "There are nine centers in this county that offer a cool place to sit down during the hottest parts of the day."

That record is set to continue, with high temperatures expected to continue into Thursday. Next week, temperatures should dip into the mid to low 90s.

Staff Writer Sarah LeBlanc contributed to this story.