MASSACHUSETTS — The track of the remnants of tropical storm Debby have shifted slightly west, according to the latest forecasts, but the chance of heavy rain in Massachusetts — and possibly tornado activity — remains.

The entire state east of the Quabbin Reservoir is at “marginal” risk of excessive rainfall, or a less than 5 percent chance. But forecasts indicate between 1 and 1-1/2 inches could fall in the area between central Worcester County and western Middlesex County. Less than a half inch is expected in the Boston area and the Cape, although higher isolated totals are possible.

The National Weather Service in Norton also said there’s a chance of tornadoes west of I-395/I-190 as Debby spins by on Friday afternoon and evening. It’s possible the weather service will issue severe thunderstorm warnings on Friday if the chance of a tornado appears.

“It’s important to stress that these types of circulations, while potentially supportive of tornadoes, tend to be very shallow in nature and do not last very long,” the weather service said.

Wind gusts may also increase as Debby approaches, with forecasts indicating gusts up to 40 mph possible from Worcester to Boston.

In sum, Many Massachusetts residents may not be able to tell Debby apart from any other rainstorm. By Saturday, weather should be pretty nice, forecasters say.

“Other than a period of light to moderate rains Friday night into Saturday morning, little to no impacts are expected for eastern MA and RI. Rapid improvement Saturday afternoon. We then enter into an extended spell of pleasant midsummer weather with seasonable temperatures and low humidity levels starting Sunday into the middle of next week,” the Norton office said in a Friday morning forecast.

A suspected serial rapist from Massachusetts accused of raping two women at gunpoint nearly 35 years ago led California law enforcement officers in Los Angeles County on a car chase Thursday before being taken into custody.

Stephen Paul Gale, 71, was driving a Lincoln SUV while trying to get away from authorities before surrendering around 5:30 p.m, a Los Angeles Police Department source told Fox News Digital. 

Gale was identified and charged with four counts of aggravated rape, two counts of kidnapping and one count of armed robbery of two women at a convenience store in Framingham, Massachusetts, near Boston, in 1989.

Authorities publicly identified him in connection with the crimes in May.

Gale lived in several other states, used multiple aliases and previously had ties to organized crime, but efforts to locate him were unsuccessful, Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said at the time. 

Investigators said Gale entered the Hit or Miss Store on Dec. 27, 1989, showed a .357 Magnum handgun and forced two female employees to the back of the store.

He forced them to take off their clothes and placed them in separate rooms, authorities said. 

“He sexually assaulted both women while holding the gun to their heads,” Ryan’s office said. “When the suspect returned to the front of the store, the victims fled out the rear fire door to a nearby home.”

Evidence was collected at the scene and a DNA sample was later obtained. A DNA profile was developed in 2001, but failed to match with anyone in law enforcement databases.

Authorities later identified Gale as the suspected rapist through forensic genetic genealogy.

In addition to the two rapes at gunpoint, Gale was wanted for questioning in connection with a series of rapes that occurred in 1989 and 1990, the US Marshals Service said. 

BOSTON – Advocates for the homeless brought their message straight to the office of Gov. Maura Healey Thursday, delivering a petition, as they implored her to rescind a new policy that allows some families only five days to stay in the state’s four emergency overflow shelters in Lexington, Chelsea, Norfolk and Cambridge.

Families have nowhere to go

“We’re very concerned that families who have no place else to go will be left on the streets, in transit stations, in cars,” said Kelly Turley with Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless. Advocates said migrant and homeless families are already in these shelters because they have no other options.

WBZ-TV spoke to a mother of two who has been living for a month at an overflow shelter at the Cambridge Registry of Deeds.  She said she has no other family and after Friday, does not know where she’ll go. Tim Scalona, whose own family was forced into the shelter system for years when he was a child knows all too well the insecurity especially felt by children. He attended the State House rally Thursday.

“The system, sort of, creates a lot of questions about why is this happening to me, will I have this shelter for a long period of time, will I continue to have food,” said Scalona.

Healey says families are still being helped

Some families have been given extensions under certain circumstances, such as applying for jobs or looking at housing options.  Others have been given tickets for transportation out of Massachusetts, which Jeff Thielman of the International Institute of New England said is a harsh and unrealistic solution.

“The message really is go back to where you came from,” said Thielman. “It can’t be Haiti, that’s not realistic, if it’s the Texas border I don’t think that’s realistic.”

Healey maintained the shelter capacity is overwhelmed but insists families are still being helped and treated humanely. “What’s happening right now is case managers are on site continuing to work with families, to relocate families, and that’s going to continue,” said Healey.

The advocates believe the state needs to give the shelter system more time to transition families out rather than force them out as time is now running out.