Massachusetts could experience severe thunderstorms later on Thursday, with temperatures potentially feeling very hot due to increasing humidity.
Cloud cover on Wednesday should continue, with a chance for spot showers and “a rumble of thunder” south of the Massachusetts Turnpike, according to the National Weather Service. Although this could occur late in the afternoon, the rest of the day is expected to be foggy and muggy, with conditions continuing into Thursday.
Temperatures should reach highs in the 70s on Wednesday, forecasters said. Continuing mugginess is likely to leave the evening feeling warm, with lows in the 60s.
Cloud cover should dissipate Thursday, though haze and humidity are expected to be present from the morning to mid-afternoon, forecasters said. Daytime highs are expected to be in the mid-80s, while the Cape and Islands could see highs in the low to mid-90s.
High humidity could leave parts of Massachusetts feeling as hot as 105 degrees, forecasters said.Courtesy of the National Weather Service.
But dewpoints in the low to mid-70s could result in conditions feeling much hotter, somewhere between 100 and 105 degrees in the Merrimack Valley and Connecticut, while the rest of Massachusetts could feel like 95 to 100 degrees, forecasters said. The coast and Cape Cod could feel less hot, at around 90 degrees.
“We considered heat advisories, but consensus among surrounding offices was to wait to re-evaluate if dewpoints could mix lower,“ forecasters wrote. ”We encourage those to take appropriate heat-related precautions such as taking frequent breaks in shaded and air-conditioned areas, and checking in on those sensitive to heat, such as the elderly and pets.”
The arrival of a cold front will lead to increased chances of a thunderstorm in the afternoon, “which will create an environment expected to be moderately to strongly unstable,” forecasters wrote. Though it’s uncertain when the cold front arrives, forecasters anticipate severe weather starting after 3 p.m. in western New England, specifically between 5 and 9 p.m.
Excessive rainfall could hit Western Massachusetts on Thursday, June 19.Courtesy of the National Weather Service.
Storms are likely to develop from strong to severe quickly, forecasters continued. The worst of the conditions should appear in Western Massachusetts, though there’s a chance for more severe weather in the Boston to Providence corridor.
Additionally, damaging winds are the main hazard during this timeframe, though forecasters said there could be tornado and street flooding risks. A secondary risk is hail, though the hot air mass could limit any hail chances.
A late-day storm on Thursday, June 19, could yield a tornado risk for Western and Central Massachusetts.Courtesy of the National Weather Service.
After Thursday’s storm, forecasters anticipate less humid conditions going into Friday and into Saturday, when dry and humid conditions continue. Temperatures should climb back into the 90s by Sunday, with the heat peaking between Monday and Wednesday.
