BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, due to improved water quality, there are more public beaches open in the state this week than last.
The Department of Public Health currently lists 60 beaches with unsafe water quality.
Last week there were 64 beaches closed.
That's good timing.
With the first official heat wave in the region forecast this week, many people will be headed to the beach to cool off.
Meteorologists say the heat is already starting to build with temperatures exceeding 90 degrees in most areas by tomorrow and lasting through Saturday.
A heatwave is defined as having at least 90-degree temperatures for three consecutive days or more.
Both Thursday and Friday are expected to have heat indexes in the 100-degree range.
Forecasters say the heat should start to break late Saturday with thunderstorms moving through.
And by Sunday temperatures are expected to return to a more seasonable 80 degrees.
Meanwhile the amount of beach closures has been in the news since the start of summer.
More beach closures than normal due mostly to high bacteria counts are being blamed on the heavy periods of rain we've had this season so far.
A few freshwater beaches are closed due to algae blooms.
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