The National Weather Service issued a near-statewide severe thunderstorm watch across Massachusetts, with forecasters warning that storms could bring damaging winds and quarter-sized hail.
An isolated severe thunderstorm risk covers all of Western and Central Massachusetts, with a lesser risk over Eastern Massachusetts, forecasters said. The state is already in the window of time where storms could erupt, which is between 2 and 10 p.m.
These conditions could appear as a cold front from Quebec enters the region, with the main threat of these storms expected to move west to each between 4 and 10 p.m., forecasters said.
A factor that could calm wind gusts down slightly is the amount of moisture and instability forecasters said. That said, wind gusts could reach between 35 and 46 mph.
The only part of the state currently not under the severe thunderstorm watch is the Cape and Islands. The watch also covers all of Connecticut and Rhode Island.
“Storms exit and die down following sunset and loss of diurnal heating,” forecasters wrote.
The severe thunderstorm watch will be in effect until 10 p.m.
The weather service also issued a severe thunderstorm warning for southwestern Berkshire County that is to last until 5:30 p.m. Forecasters warned that wind gusts could reach 60 mph, with hail the size of quarters possible.
“At 4:27 p.m., a severe thunderstorm was located over Coxsackie, or seven miles north of Hudson, moving southeast at 25 mph,” the warning stated. “…Large hail, damaging wind, and continuous cloud-to-ground lightning are occurring with this storm. Move indoors immediately. Lightning is one of nature`s leading killers. Remember, if you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning.”
After a day when temperatures climbed into the high 80s and low 90s, Thursday night should see nighttime lows in the high 50s and low 60s, forecasters said.
A cold air mass should then enter the region Thursday night, drying conditions ahead of the Fourth of July holiday, forecasters said. Daytime highs should be in the low to mid-80s, with sunny skies and “some drying and more pleasant weather,” forecasters wrote.
Dry conditions should carry on into the weekend. But temperatures should climb back into the 90s and could stick around into Monday, forecasters said.
“Beyond that, there is some uncertainty owing to the timing of a frontal system which may bring down temperatures while also introducing a chance for showers and thunderstorms as early as late Monday,” forecasters wrote.
Forecasters believe the likeliest chance for more unsettled weather to appear is on Tuesday, when temperatures could see a drop.
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