Potentially record-breaking heat moves into New England

We may have turned the calendar to October, but it will feel more like July over the next few days.

Summer warmth has been building to the west of New England and will move into the region, bringing record-breaking high temperatures for parts of the region Tuesday and Wednesday. It’s also going to be a dry and sunny stretch, with a sprawling area of high pressure in control, keeping the weather quiet for much of this week.

For some perspective, average high temperatures for this time of year in and around Boston are in the mid to upper 60s. Highs will climb into the 80s this afternoon (70s on Cape Cod), approaching and eclipsing records in some cities and towns. The record to beat in Boston Tuesday afternoon is 85 — it will likely come close but fall just shy in the city itself.

Suburbs north and west of Boston are likely to see record highs. The humidity will go up slightly on Wednesday and temperatures will once again be in the low- to mid-80s inland and in parts of western New England. It will be in the 70s at the coast with an onshore breeze. Thursday won't be quite as balmy — it'll be in the 70s under a blend of sun and clouds — still about 10 degrees above average.

Clouds will increase and thicken on Friday ahead of a cold front that will approach the region late in the day. This boundary marks a significant shift in the weather pattern. While it’s too early to pinpoint exact timing, some spotty showers are likely later on Friday with a period of rain and thunder on Saturday, potentially lingering into early Sunday. Behind the front, it will turn noticeably cooler next week with highs only in the 50s and 60s and daily pop-up shower chances as a big upper level low sits nearby.