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.
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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.
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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.
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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.”
Scattered severe storms will be possible on Thursday. Damaging wind gusts are the main threat, with large hail, a brief tornado and localized street flooding also possible. (NWS Boston graphic)
Up the road from Gillette Stadium, a town neighboring Foxboro is pressing for funding to meet public safety demands arising from the World Cup, with the first match just over a month away.
Walpole’s state delegation has written a letter to the state Office of Travel and Tourism requesting approval of the town’s request for nearly $200,000 to support “essential public safety personnel,” as officials expect “significant spillover impacts” from the premier soccer tournament.
As the Walpole/Foxboro town line on Route 1 is a handful of miles north of Gillette Stadium, officials are expecting increased traffic congestion and pedestrian activity to amount to “heightened public safety demands.”
“As outlined in the Town’s proposal,” the state delegation wrote in the letter it sent to the state last week, “Walpole will play a critical role in ensuring safe and efficient operations for both residents and visitors.”
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“This funding will help close a critical gap and ensure that Walpole can safely support this internationally significant event,” the delegation added.
The state Office of Travel and Tourism confirmed to the Herald that it received the letter from state Reps. John H. Rogers, Paul McMurtry, Ted Philips and Marcus Vaughn and Sen. Mike Rush. The office said it will announce decisions in the coming weeks about round two of the $2 million grant program that supports municipal public safety needs tied to the World Cup.
The first round of the program, a $10 million competitive initiative, awarded funding earlier this year to 17 communities to support tournament-related events, including fan festivals, watch parties and regional activations.
This comes after the Foxboro Select Board battled the Boston Soccer 2026 nonprofit host committee and Kraft Sports & Entertainment, which operates Gillette Stadium, for months to ensure it received full funding to cover all security personnel and equipment.
In mid-March, the David vs. Goliath fight concluded, with Boston Soccer 2026 and the Krafts agreeing to cover Foxboro’s $7.8 million request.
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Gillette, which will be rebranded as “Boston Stadium,” is set to host seven matches – five in the group stage and two knockout games – between June 13 and July 9. The World Cup is considered a SEAR 1 event, the highest risk level for public gatherings in the country.
“These matches will bring an excitement that this town has never seen,” Foxboro Police Chief Michael Grace said before the Select Board voted to grant an entertainment license for the matches to go on.
Gillette Stadium. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)
No other city in the country boasts more championships than Boston, giving Massachusetts a sporting pedigree unlike any other.
What’s unique about many of the state is that several of the stars from those championship-winning teams were Massachusetts natives.
Before they were winning the Stanley Cup, the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, World Series or a gold medal, those athletes were high school standouts.
Which high schools in Massachusetts are considered the best for athletes today?
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According to a study conducted by Niche, which accounts for survey feedback from students and parents—accounting for “reviews of athletics, number of state championships, student participation in athletics, and the number of sports offered at the school”—and data from the U.S. Department of Education, these are the top 25.
BOSTON (WHDH) – It was a powerful moment on Friday during the annual Law-Enforcement Memorial Ceremony at the State House, as the ceremony remembered those lost in the line of duty, including State Trooper Kevin Trainor.
Trainor was killed in a wrong-way crash this week. Trainor’s family was in attendance.
“We’re here today with the Trainor family as another tragedy and agonizing time in policing has found us,” Larry Calderone, Boston Police Union President, said.
The day brought a moment to pause and remember the 30-year-old who is being hailed a hero after he was struck and killed Wednesday morning on Route 1 in Lynnfield.
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“We’ve lost a brother,” Massachusetts State Police Col. Geoffrey Noble said.
The fallen trooper’s fiancée spoke out for the first time since losing the love of her life. She posted to social media, “I am beyond proud of the amount of love you have been given by those who loved and cared about you shows us who you really were, a friend, a partner, a brother, a son, and a hero. You weren’t just a hero to me but a hero to all.”
(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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