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Fast-moving storms rumble through Mass.

Storms brought heavy rain to Boston on Wednesday.Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

A tornado warning was issued for Essex County Wednesday afternoon, then canceled, as a thunderstorm capable of spawning a twister swept out to sea, the National Weather Service said Wednesday afternoon.

The warning for northeastern Essex County was issued just before 4 p.m. and canceled at 4:16 p.m., with the weather service saying the “tornadic thunderstorm” had moved offshore.

Public safety officials in Newburyport, Rowley, and Newbury, areas where the storm passed, said there were no reports of damage.

Forecasters were continuing to monitor the skies Wednesday afternoon, with more fast-moving storms expected to rumble through. A line of storms was rolling through the northwestern part of the state as of 5:48 p.m.

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It was the second set of storms that had caused tornado fears on Wednesday. Earlier, a tornado warning had been issued for Barnstable County on Cape Cod.

The unsettled weather came as Bay Staters were looking ahead to the Fourth of July weekend, which was expected to be mostly pleasant and dry, except for a chance of passing showers on Saturday.

In Brewster Wednesday morning, the storms inundated some streets with two to three feet of water, and the fire department had to assist residents in pumping out their basements.

“We had numerous locations within the town experience major flooding,” Fire Chief Robert Moran said. “We assisted a number of residents with sandbags and pumping out basements.”

Moran said that they also helped clear some downed trees. He expected the fire department would be assisting with cleanup through the afternoon.

Heavy downpours and wind also caused street flooding and brought down trees in multiple towns on Martha’s Vineyard.

Dry weather, with highs in the high 70s and lows in the 60s is expected Thursday, forecasters said.

High temperatures will creep up to the low 80s on Friday, with lows in the 60s.

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Independence Day highs will be in the high 70s and lows in the low 60s with comfortable humidity levels and a chance for light showers, forecasters said.

Temperatures will reach the mid-80s on Sunday, and lows will be in the low 60s.

On Monday, forecasters said, temperatures will be in the 80s again before sinking to the 60s at night.

Wetter and more unsettled weather is likely to return by the middle of next week, though the exact timing is uncertain, the forecasters said.


Sarah Roberts can be reached at sarah.roberts@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @heysarahroberts