Good morning from the 1DegreeOutside Weather Network! Meteorologist Danielle Noyes here with your Wednesday “Noyes’ Notes”, and we’re focused on one big story: intense heat and humidity. For much of New England, today marks the peak of this week’s heat, and while it’s not our most extreme of the summer so far, it’s certainly one of the more uncomfortable days we’ve had.
Temperatures climb into the low 90s nearly region-wide today – from the Champlain Valley to central and southern Maine, down through the Merrimack Valley, Metro Boston, and into southwestern Connecticut. Add in tropical dew points running 70–75°F, and the heat index soars to 93–100°F in many areas.
This puts us under a major heat risk zone, meaning the combination of temperature and humidity makes it harder for the body to cool down efficiently, increasing the risk for heat-related illnesses. It’s especially important today to hydrate regularly, wear light-colored clothing, apply sunscreen, and seek shade or breaks if you’re outside for an extended time.
You’d think a day this hot would end in storms – but today’s a bit different. Danielle explains it’s because of a “cap” in the atmosphere, a warm layer aloft that suppresses the vertical motion needed to form thunderstorms. You can think of it like a lid on a shaken soda bottle: the pressure is there, but the contents don’t burst out.
So while an isolated storm can’t be ruled out, most of us will stay storm-free today. Low clouds and patchy fog will fill in this evening and overnight.
Thursday brings a two-part storm day, starting with the potential for scattered morning showers and thunderstorms, followed by a second round later in the afternoon and evening. Danielle flags it as a “weather aware” day, especially because localized flooding and damaging wind gusts are possible with any slow-moving storms.
Make sure to turn on location services and alerts in the 1DegreeOutside app so you don’t miss any warnings!
Humidity doesn’t fully back off until Friday, and even then, the relief arrives gradually from north to south. By Saturday, we’re looking at a dry, beautiful summer day with dew points dropping into the 50s – perfect for outdoor plans.
Reminder: the two week dew point forecast and feels-like temperature are both part of every 1DegreeOutside membership tier – find the one that fits you at membership.1degreeoutside.com.
