It’s going to be a hot and sticky week across the region, according to the National Weather Service, as warm humid air settles over New England generating dew points that will have some parts of the state sweltering with the feel of triple digits.
After seemingly endless days of rainy weather, the state should mostly dry out this week. However as the weekend approaches the region will head into its first multi-day 90-degree stretch of the year, with dew points making it uncomfortable or dangerous to be outside.
“The humidity and dew points are going to be very high. With dew points climbing back towards about 70-degrees that means the apparent temperature is going to likely exceed 100-degrees for portions of metro west,” Kristie Smith, a meteorologist with the NWS, told the Herald on Sunday.
According to Smith the weather service hasn’t yet issued any heat advisories for those days but by Monday or Tuesday they’ll most likely issue warning against prolonged outdoor activity and advise people to stay inside if possible.
“We’re talking about a pretty oppressive heat late week for a lot of people,” she said.
Smith expressed concern that people may not be ready for the heat considering the relatively mild season thus far, and recommends preparing for the warm weather stretch by staying hydrated and making sure air conditioning units work now, while their is time to service them.
“We haven’t had a lot of heat this summer,” Smith said. “It may catch people off guard.”
The weather Monday should near but not reach 90-degrees, Smith said, with partial cloud cover and a light breeze. Overnight temperatures will drop into the upper 60s before returning to the mid-80s Tuesday, when there will be a slight chance of rain west of Worcester in the afternoon.
An around 10 mile-per-hour southwest wind will bring 90-degree highs and climbing dewpoints on Wednesday, which by Thursday will peak into the mid-90s range.
Friday will be yet warmer, with highs around 95-degrees but a fairly strong 15 mile-per-hour breeze.
The upside of the heat, Smith said, is that the wind bringing it will likely keep away any wildfire smoke as forest fires continue to blaze in parts of Canada.
Levels of smoke in the air on Monday and Tuesday, the furthest the NWS could forecast, will be negligible enough not to be noticed, she said.
