Thursday got hot quickly, first hitting the 90s in the morning across Boston and then a sweltering 101 degrees by late afternoon, toppling a 63-year-old daily heat record in the process.
The suffocating humidity made it feel more like 110 degrees across Greater Boston and other parts of New England. That’s downright stifling.
The previous record for July 2 was 98 degrees in 1963. The 100-degree mark was also shy of the all-time high of 104 degrees, set on July 4, 1911.
Record heat persists
We’re going to see the temperatures return to around 100 degrees again on Friday, while Saturday will likely settle into the 90s. But hot and humid is still hot and humid. Because heat is the leading weather-related killer in the U.S. and globally, extreme heat warnings will remain in effect through Saturday across nearly the entire region.
This heat wave won’t let up until Sunday, when we return to more seasonable, 80-degree weather in New England.
FRIDAY: More hot air
Friday will be a near repeat of Thursday, with the morning commute in the 80s once again, and jumping to the upper 90s and challenging triple digits by the afternoon under mostly sunny skies — so remain diligent in keeping your body cool as you go about your day. Boston’s daily high record for Friday sits at 102 degrees, set in 1911, so it’ll get close. Heat index values will soar well into the 100s once again with high dew points in the 70s across the region.
Outside of Boston, Friday could set new daily high records across Providence, Worcester, Springfield, Manchester, and Portland, Maine.
I will say that it’ll be a great time at the beach if those are your plans, so enjoy the water!
A chance for isolated storms in the afternoon and evening
We’re going to see mostly sunshine until a front slowly enters the picture. Most of the potent energy with the front will sit over the Mid-Atlantic, bringing more thunderstorms to our southwest than over Boston.
There is a slight chance of an isolated severe thunderstorm pushing through Southern New England during the afternoon and evening, but most likely over portions of Western Mass. and Western Connecticut. We’ll likely wind up with scattered pop-up showers and general thunderstorms floating across Southern and Western New England. Boston may be clipped later in the afternoon, but most of the action will sit over Southwestern New England.
SATURDAY: Humidity starts to break
We’re going to enter the fourth and final day of the heat wave on Saturday, with temperatures likely to reach the mid- to upper 90s across Greater Boston and interior Southern New England.
The tropical air will stick around, too, making it feel like it’s over 100 degrees anyway. So with the Fourth of July cookouts, try to set up in the shade and make sure to hydrate and wear plenty of sunscreen. Heat stress will remain very high across most of Southern and Central New England on Saturday.
The good news is that we’re going to see the dew points finally break a bit during the day Saturday. Folks up north will feel the dry air during the afternoon, but Boston won’t feel a bit more comfortable until later Saturday night.
We’ll still see the chance for a spot shower or thunderstorm during the afternoon, with a few more clouds.
The chance for severe thunderstorms will linger over Southwestern New England during the afternoon and evening, with damaging wind gusts and cloud-to-ground lightning as the main hazards.
SUNDAY: Shaping up to be a great day
Sunday is shaping up to be a great day. With dry and slightly cooler air settling in, we’ll have a much more comfortable day with much lower humidity. Highs will be held to the 80s across most of the region.
Sunday will stay dry for most of New England, but clouds will increase throughout the day as our next system approaches from the Great Lakes. Any rain or thunderstorms won’t make it to New England until we head to bed for the night.
Weekend breakdown
Greater Boston: Hot, humid, highs in the upper 90s and low 100s. Chance for a spot shower or thunderstorm. Saturday sees highs reach the mid-90s with the chance of a spot shower. Sunday feels more normal, settling in the mid-80s under increasing clouds.
Central/Western Mass.: Hot and humid. Highs to the low 90s in the Berkshires, upper 90s east. Chance of an afternoon shower or thunderstorm. Saturday sees temperatures reach the upper 80s in the Berkshires, low to mid-90s east. Chance for a spot shower or thunderstorm. Sunday will see temperatures everywhere in the 80s with increasing clouds.
Southeastern Mass.: Hot and humid on Friday. Highs to the mid- and upper 90s. Spot shower chance. Saturday sees temperatures back in the low and mid-90s with the chance of a shower or thunderstorm. Sunday settles in the 80s with increasing clouds.
Cape Cod and the Islands: Friday sees temperatures reach the mid-80s, with a chance of a spot shower late. Saturday sees the 80s once again with a chance of a spot shower late. Sunday returns to the 70s with increasing clouds.
Rhode Island: Hot and humid on Friday, temperatures push to the upper 90s. Chance of a shower or thunderstorm. Saturday sees temps push to the mid-90s with another chance of a spot shower or thunderstorm. Sunday sees highs in the mid- and upper 80s, with increasing clouds.
New Hampshire: Friday sees temperatures range in the 90s. Mix of sun and clouds with a spot shower chance. Saturday sees dry air arrive up north, highs to the 80s, low 90s hang on south. Sunday sees temperatures range in the upper 70s north to mid-80s south under increasing clouds.
Vermont/Maine: Friday sees most of both states returning to the 90s. Chance for showers and thunderstorms in Vermont, not so much in Maine. Saturday sees dry air settling across the northern half of both states, with highs to the 80s in Vermont and the upper 70s in northern Maine. The southern edge of each state could crack the 90s. Sunday sees increasing clouds with both states reaching the low to mid-80s.
Connecticut: Hot, humid, turning stormy to the west. Highs to the 90s and low 100s. Saturday sees highs in the mid- and upper 90s with another storm chance. Sunday sees increasing clouds with temperatures in the upper 80s.
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Ken Mahan can be reached at ken.mahan@globe.com. Follow him on Instagram @kenmahantheweatherman.