Good morning folks, I have to apologize up front as this kind of weather makes me dumb as a stump and takes the energy right out of me, and I wasn’t as responsive to last night’s thunderstorm cluster as I normally would want to be. I hope a few dogs were spared the misery of freaking overnight by the time I reported at 11pm, as I know canine lovers have a real challenge with keeping them calmer during thunder events.

Going forward, any patchy fog in northwest MA up into SVT and SWNH will burn off as heat soars today, reaching highs in the low 90s in the high terrain to low 100s in the Pioneer Valley. Given dewpoint temps reaching the low to mid 70s, heat indices will climb into the 105-115º range which represents our peak heat for this heat wave, which is extreme for this region.

I can’t stress enough the need for everybody to hydrate, cool down, and rest up whenever and however you are able to, and be sure to check on your neighbors, in these kinds of conditions.

Yes, I get that there’s plenty of tough-as-nails dudes who might claim it was 150º back in the day when they had to pick buh-day-duhs (potatoes, for those following along at home) all day long, but not everybody has such a constitution, especially the elderly, folks with respiratory ailments and other reasons for heat intolerances.

And again, if you need the aid of a cooling center, check out the section below as I am reposting it from yesterday.

COOLING CENTERS
Please click the following link for a list of WMass Cooling Centers, and if folks know of others, feel free to list them in the comments:

https://www.413cares.org/warming-cooling-centers

An isolated shower or thunderstorm is possible, but lower chance than the past two days given that the ridge is close to being on top of us as it will be in this event, which strengthens any mid-level caps, helping to prevent storm development.

Lows tonight will hang again in the low to mid 70s and it will be very humid with some patchy fog late.

For Friday, it will still be very hot and humid with highs in the upper 80s to upper 90s with a few spots hitting 100º in the valley floor, under sunny skies early with some areas of showers and thunderstorms later in the afternoon, a couple of which might become strong to severe with straight line wind damage possible. Lows again will be in the upper 60s to mid 70s.

The 4th of July / Saturday forecast is a bit uncertain still given the timing of an incoming cold front. If the front comes in later, it will allow the full instability of the heat and humidity during the day to build, thereby increasing chances for strong to severe thunderstorms later in the afternoon and evening, but I will have to update you on that.

Highs should rise into the mid 80s to mid 90s with very humid conditions, and then behind the front at night, lows will settle down to either side of 60º.

By Sunday, we’re cooling back down to seasonably warm levels with highs in the 80s under partly sunny skies with a few showers possible.

And once we get into early to middle of next week, even drier air looks to work in on northwesterly flow with highs in the upper 70s to mid 80s, so that’s something to look forward to!

Have a great a day and stay cool and hydrated best you can! There’s light at the end of this soupy tunnel!

“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls.”
― Joseph Campbell

YOUR NUTSHELL:
–Today will be the hottest of this heat wave as our upper ridge pushes the closest
–We bake with highs in the low 90s to low 100s with dewpoints in the low to mid 70s
–Very humid and hot, with heat indices in the low 100s to mid 110s
–A significantly lower chance for isolated strong to severe thunderstorms later today and tonight given ridge proximity, but still possible
–Lows hang in the upper 60s to mid 70s with patchy fog possible late, very humid
–Friday sees high temps in the upper 80s to upper 90s with some valley locations hitting 100º
–Heat indices rise into the low 100s with very humid conditions
–Scattered showers, downpours and thunderstorms by later tomorrow afternoon expected as the ridge starts to recede
–Lows in the low to mid 70s
–Saturday / 4th of July looks very warm to hot and quite humid with a cold front passing through at some point
–Timing will make a difference on impacts to activities, and it’s uncertain when the front will come through still
–Highs should reach the mid 80s to low to mid 90s as our heat wave concludes
–Any storms could become strong to severe, and slightly drier air starts working into the region from north to south Saturday night
–Lows Sunday night in the upper 50s to low 60s with highs Sunday in the 80s with a few showers possible
–Monday through Wednesday looks drier, nicer, and more seasonable with highs in the upper 70s to mid 80s through the period and lows in the mid 50s to low 60s

YOUR DAILY CELESTIALS
STAR:
–OUR STAR ROSE AT: 5:18am this morning
–OUR STAR SETS AT: 8:29pm this evening
–TOTAL DAYLIGHT TIME: 15 hours and 11 minutes

MOON:
–OUR MOON RISES AT: 10:26pm tonight
–MOON RISE DIRECTION: East-Southeast
–OUR MOON SETS AT: 8:39am tomorrow morning
–MOON SET DIRECTION: West-Southwest
–MOON PHASE: Waning Gibbous (94.5% Illumination)