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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — In the middle of a fiery heat wave on Wednesday, the National Weather Service warned Massachusetts and New England residents that intense thunderstorms could be on the way.
Temperatures hit 100 degrees in Boston on Wednesday for the first time in a decade, breaking a daily heat record and marking three days in a row of 90-plus degree days. Extreme heat was predicted across Massachusetts, with maximum temperatures feeling like 103 degrees in some spots.
Serious thunderstorms were predicted for most of New England on Wednesday afternoon.
Nearly all of Massachusetts except for the Cape and Islands, all of New Hampshire and Connecticut, the vast majority of Vermont, and huge swaths of Maine and portions of Rhode Island were under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch as of Wednesday afternoon. Most of Massachusetts was at an "Enhanced" risk of severe storms, while the NWS said a tornado or two "cannot be ruled out through early afternoon."
High winds, up to 70 miles per hour, were predicted to be the most dangerous aspect of the storms, with activity between between 2 and 10 PM. Other threats include heavy rain, lightning, and the possibility of large hailstones.
After all of that noise, a cool-down is expected starting Thursday and extending over the weekend. While the high temperatures in Boston may be breaking records today, the high on Saturday will only reach 67, amid showers and overcast skies.
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Written by Chaiel Schaffel