This is a heads up to let you know we have put out an Excessive Heat Watch for all of our forecast area except the east slopes of the Berkshires, southern Rhode Island, and the Cape and Islands - valid for Thursday and Friday afternoons.
The watch includes Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Hartford, Providence, and Manchester, NH.
High temperatures in the watch area are expected to range from 95 to 100 degrees. Combined with high dewpoints, we anticipate a heat index up to around 105 degrees. The most critical period each day will be from about noon to about 8 PM.
Excessive heat to this extent occurs infrequently in this area, and thus our population is somewhat more vulnerable than the populations in many other locations to our south and southwest.
Remember that excessive heat can be a silent killer, especially in urban areas. We recommend that preparedness actions be undertaken to mitigate the impact on those required to work outside and vulnerable segments of our population such as the elderly, young children, and those with existing health conditions that could be seriously exacerbated by the heat.