No relief to the sweltering heat that has enveloped Massachusetts this week will come on Thursday, with temperatures expected to remain above 90 degrees throughout the state and forecasters say there is a chance some areas could reach 100.
“Dangerous” heat and humidity is expected throughout the day Thursday, bringing near-record high temperatures in the mid to upper 90s for most of the state. Those high temperatures, combined with “oppressive” humidity, will mean it could feel as hot as 104 degrees across Massachusetts.
Cape Cod and the South Coast will be spared the worst of the heat — temperatures there will be warm, but forecasters are predicting highs in the 80s there, thanks to an ocean breeze. Temperatures on the Islands will be even cooler, around 70 degrees.
As a result of the high temperatures, almost all of the state is under a heat advisory.
In Boston on Thursday, the high temperature is forecasted at a whopping 98 degrees. Worcester is expected to reach 97 degrees and in Springfield, the high will be near 98. In Pittsfield in the Berkshires, temperatures will be slightly cooler — a projected high of 91 degrees on Thursday.
But, it won’t just be hot on Thursday.
The northeastern part of the state, including Greater Boston, will likely see some “strong and severe” thunderstorms in the afternoon, forecasters warned. In Boston, isolated thunderstorms are expected between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., with isolated showers and storms continuing after 3 p.m. In Worcester and Springfield, precipitation won’t arrive until much later on Thursday, even stretching into the early morning hours on Friday. The Berkshires could see scattered showers and storms after 3 p.m.
National Weather Service forecasters have dropped their projected high on Friday considerably over the course of the week. What was first projected as an 89-degree day in Boston is now forecasted to be a much more seasonal 81 degrees.
A cold front moving through the state will finally break the heat, though forecasters cautioned that Western and Central Massachusetts could still see temperatures above 90 degrees again on Friday.
“If enough sunshine materializes, this could be a 4th consecutive day of 90+ temps,” forecasters wrote.
Looking ahead, thunderstorms are expected throughout the weekend, most likely rolling in around the early afternoon. Saturday will offer a “brief reprieve” from the heat before it builds again on Sunday.
But, next week is expected to bring “a much more seasonable” forecast, according to the weather service.
