Massachusetts
Massachusetts, it could feel like 100 degrees: ‘Potentially dangerous’ and chance for severe storms
Now that the rain is gone, it’s time to complain about the brutal heat and humidity.
Hazy, hot and humid conditions are on the way for Thursday — when it will possibly feel like a sweltering 100 degrees.
A true taste of summer is on tap with some nasty humidity, as a cold front brings the potential for severe thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening.
“It will be our first really, really hot and humid day of the season,” said Caitlyn Mensch, meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Boston office.
Dewpoints will spike into the 70s, bringing the heat index “feels like” value to around 100 degrees.
The National Weather Service has issued a “heat advisory” for much of the region, warning that hot temps and high humidity may cause heat illnesses.
Mensch urged people to remain hydrated and to stay in an air-conditioned room. Wear lightweight clothing, and try to limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening, she added.
“Potentially dangerous heat Thursday afternoon with areas across southern New England experiencing ‘feels like’ temperature between the upper 90s into the lower 100s,” reads the NWS Boston forecast discussion, which adds, “It will be humid, dewpoints in the lower 70s is ‘air you can wear.’ ”
Also on Thursday, severe thunderstorms will be possible in the late afternoon and evening as a cold front moves through.
Damaging wind gusts will be the main threat — with large hail, a brief tornado and localized street flooding also possible.
Meteorologists anticipate the main threat for severe weather will begin after 3 p.m. in western New England, and particularly in the 5 to 9 p.m. timeframe as a line of storms.
“While the greater threat for severe weather is mainly west of I-95/I-495, some threat is possible toward sundown in the Boston to Providence corridor, especially if convection can get going sooner,” reads the NWS Boston forecast discussion.
“Those with plans outside during the afternoon, especially from the Berkshires/Litchfield Hills eastward to MetroWest, will want to keep close tabs on the forecast for the afternoon,” NWS Boston adds.
After the brutally hot and humid Thursday, it should be seasonably warm but less humid on Friday into Saturday — with temps in the 80s.
Then a multi-day stretch of significant heat is expected early next week.
“We may begin to see temperatures return into the 90s on Sunday, but the heat peaks in the Mon thru Wed timeframe,” NWS Boston wrote. “Latest ensembles continue to point to heat and humidity levels at least as high as Thurs, if not higher, and also over a stretch of a few days. Heat headlines could be needed at some point if confidence continues to increase.”
Two Plymouth, Massachusetts teens were saved from the summit of Mount Washington after a leg injury stranded them.
Khang Nguyen,17, said he and his friend, 18-year-old Vaughn Webb, thought they were well prepared for their hike on Saturday. They brought trekking poles, layers, microspikes for their boots and more.
But halfway up the trail, Nguyen feared the worst when his leg began to hurt.
“It was just incredibly painful to lift up my right leg,” he explained. “I told [Vaughn] to leave me behind so I could go on my own pace and for him to reach the summit to get help at first.”
The pair managed to reach the top of the mountain but had to seek shelter next to a building as wind gusts increased, and the air temperature reached 38 degrees. Nguyen said they also ran out of food and water. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department received the 911 call around 7:30 p.m. and quickly alerted a State Park employee who began to search for the two teens.
“Conservation Officers then began responding in four-wheel-drive pickup trucks to try and get to the summit and back ahead of incoming snow,” the game department said in a statement.
After around 30 minutes of reaching both Webb and Nguyen were found. They were taken inside a building and Nguyen was being treated for his injury.
“The worker that was up there, [said] that they came in record time, and we appreciate their help a lot. It saved our lives potentially,” Nguyen explained.
The pair was successfully taken off the mountain by 10 p.m. The two teens are now safely back in Massachusetts and are incredibly grateful to their rescuers.
As libraries across western Massachusetts celebrate National Library Week from April 19 to April 25, they are honoring “the last real third space where everyone is welcome,” in the words of Greenfield Public Library Assistant Director Lisa Prolman.
According to the American Library Association, National Library Week is “an annual celebration highlighting the valuable role libraries and library professionals play in transforming lives and strengthening our communities.” This year, several libraries in the region will be hosting events to highlight the roles they play in their communities.
The Athol Public Library is among the venues engaging in National Library Week festivities, with a whole host of events starting on Tuesday, April 21, with Silly Goose Story Time at 10:30 a.m. The library will hold multiple events each day, including “Free Book Friday” on April 24, which Assistant Director Robin Shtulman said is “really fantastic.”
Shtulman said the week celebrates and emphasizes the “freedom to read, community outreach and celebrating the staff, without whom nothing would happen.”
The Athol Public Library said in an event announcement that “whatever brings you joy, the library has something for everyone,” and that aspect is being emphasized this National Library Week. To name a few of the events on tap, on Tuesday, April 21, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., there’s a volunteer opportunity where teens will make greeting cards for senior citizens; “A Minecraft Movie” will be shown at the same date and time; and on Thursday, April 23, the library will host Scavenger Hunt Bingo for all ages. For a full list of events at the Athol Public Library, visit atholpubliclibrary.com.
In Shelburne Falls, the Arms Library will feature a gallery from the Carlos Heiligmann Collection, a series of photos of public libraries across western Massachusetts. Also in collaboration with the Arms Library, Pothole Pictures and the Shelburne Falls Area Women’s Club will partner for a screening of “Free For All: The Public Library” on Saturday, April 25, at 2 p.m. at the Shelburne Falls Theater at Memorial Hall.
The documentary focuses on the evolution of the public library from its origins in the 19th century and the challenges it faces today, with modern-day issues such as book bans, funding cuts and debates over censorship.
It also explores the role that women’s clubs, like the one in Shelburne Falls, played in creating the modern library system. To serve their communities, women’s clubs took the lead in fundraising, collecting books and advocating for library legislation.
“Our women’s club in this town started with a group of 60 women who were gathering for lessons. … Because of the support of women in the U.S., we established over 80% of the public libraries [in the country],” said Christin Couture, program chair for the Shelburne Falls Area Women’s Club. “This film … I hear it’s so fascinating.”
Following the film’s screening, there will be a panel of local librarians who will engage in “lively conversation” about the history and future of public libraries. Tickets are $6, though school-age children will be admitted for free.
In Charlemont, Tyler Memorial Library will host an open house on Saturday, April 25, from noon to 2 p.m. featuring refreshments, a tour of the library and sun catcher crafting.
The Greenfield Public Library, meanwhile, is taking National Library Week in a bit of a different direction, as it is offering a book repair demonstration with Tom Hutcheson on Thursday, April 23, at 3:30 p.m. The day marks William Shakespeare’s birthday.
Although the book repair session required registration and is currently full, those who are interested may be placed on a waiting list at greenfieldpl.libcal.com/event/16460179.
Greenfield Public Library Director Anna Bognolo recognized the hard work that everyone has put into making the library a success, offering a “huge thank you” to the volunteers and staff who make its varied offerings possible.
“Stop by and support your library,” Bognolo said.
“Libraries, especially in this economy, are more important than ever,” Prolman said. Referencing the library’s role as a place where community members can go that is not work or home, she added, “They are the last real third space where everyone is welcome, and we don’t charge you for being here.”
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