The first sign of noticeably increasing humidity in New England came in the form of low altitude clouds and areas of fog Thursday morning – set to burn off quickly but coming coincident with dew point temperatures (a measure of the amount of moisture content in the air) rising into the 60s, meaning a humid feeling to the air.
The increasing humidity won’t reach northern New England on Thursday, where record warmth is expected to exceed 90 degrees, but that humidity will be felt throughout southern New England by day’s end and likely will result in many air conditioners running as uncomfortable sleeping weather returns for a long stay.
At the seashore, an afternoon sea breeze will likely kick up Thursday afternoon, but not before temperatures exceed 80 degrees for the first time this week at the coast. Then the sea breeze is expected to be even more feeble and later in the day if at all on Friday.
Inland, temperatures will rise to near 90 degrees Thursday and Friday – by the weekend, just about everyone except Cape Cod and the Midcoast of Maine, Downeast, are expected to near 90 degrees with humidity, and some spots will likely record a heat wave of three or more consecutive days of 90 degree heat.
Of course, Saturday is the summer solstice – the longest day of the year and the strongest sun angle, which is making sun safety an important component of our First Alert Weather Forecast: remember sunscreen, stay hydrated, and anything to limit direct sun will help, from a wide-brimmed hat to sunglasses to finding shade. In this sunny weather this time of the year, sunburn can set in within 10 minutes if we’re not protected!
The chance of thunderstorms will remain limited in the coming days, building a bit in the mountains Friday afternoon, then in northern and western New England on Saturday and perhaps expanding into central New England on Sunday, with the greater chance of scattered afternoon thunder most of next week as heat and humidity rolls on through most of the exclusive First Alert 10-day forecast, with signs the humidity may roll back a bit by the end of next week.
