Excessive heat watch, air quality alert issued in Mass. How hot will it get & when will relief come?

Frank O'Laughlin
·2 min read

Severe weather alerts have been posted across Massachusetts due to excessive heat and humidity that will grip the region through the end of the week.

Massachusetts school district cancels class due to heat, will begin summer break early

EXCESSIVE HEAT WATCH

The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat watch for Central Middlesex, Southeast Middlesex, Western Norfolk, Western Essex, Eastern Franklin, Eastern Hampden, and Eastern Hampshire counties through 7 p.m. on Friday.

“Dangerously hot conditions with heat index values up to 105 are possible,” the NWS said. “Not much relief at night, with heat indices in the 70s.”

HEAT ADVISORY

A heat advisory has been issued for Northern Berkshire, Southern Berkshire, Eastern Franklin, Central Middlesex County, Western Essex, Eastern Hampshire, Eastern Hampden, Western Norfolk, Southeast Middlesex, Northern Bristol, Western Plymouth, Eastern Plymouth, Western Franklin, Northern Worcester, Eastern Essex, Western Hampshire, Western Hampden, Southern Worcester, Suffolk, Eastern Norfolk, and Northwest Middlesex counties

“Heat-related illnesses increase significantly during extreme heat and high humidity events,” the NWS warned. “Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.”

AIR QUALITY ALERT

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has also issued an air quality alert because “ground-level ozone concentrations within the region may approach or exceed levels that are unhealthy for sensitive groups.”

“Air is unhealthy for sensitive children and adults, such as those with asthma, lung or heart disease, and older adults,” MassDEP warned. “Sensitive children and adults should limit prolonged outdoor activity.”

“FEELS LIKE” TEMPS OVER 100 DEGREES

“Feels like” temperatures near 100 degrees are expected Tuesday but heat indices up to 105 degrees are expected locally when temperatures and humidity peak on Wednesday and Thursday, Boston 25 Meteorologist Shiri Spear wrote in her latest weather blog. Even the beaches will be near 90 degrees, except for Cape Cod, where highs will be in the upper 70s to mid-80s with a southwest breeze off the ocean.

WHEN DOES RELIEF ARRIVE?

A front is expected at some point Friday with scattered showers and thunderstorms. If the front comes through in the morning it will end up a little cooler and cloudier with scattered showers and embedded thunderstorms.

There is slight relief behind the front this weekend. It won’t be as hot with highs in the 80s instead of the 90s, but it will remain quite muggy.

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