Forecast: Sweltering heat continues to beat down on Boston

Wednesday is day two of the heat wave and will be even hotter than the day before.

We hit 92 degrees in Boston Tuesday afternoon and will soar into the middle 90s this afternoon. We'll come close, but are likely to be shy of breaking records for the date. The record to beat in Boston is 96 from 1923. Staying hydrated and finding ways to cool down are crucial!

So when will we see some relief? Not Thursday. Temperatures will soar into the middle to even upper 90s in spots. With the humidity factored in, heat index values will be in the low 100s. Cape Cod and the immediate South Coast are the places for some relief, with highs in the 80s there.

Heat and humidity create the ideal environment for thunderstorms. While there isn't a strong trigger the next couple of days, storms could pop up due to differential heating in the mountains and hills. Here's a breakdown of what to expect:

Wednesday: Watch out for a few thunderstorms in southern Vermont, southwest New Hampshire and possibly northern and central Massachusetts. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center has placed northern and central New England under an isolated severe thunderstorm threat. Damaging winds and hail are possible with any severe storms.

Thursday: A few storms are likely to pop up inland, possibly as far south as northern Massachusetts and along the Route 2 corridor by the evening.

Friday: The heat wave will break, with highs dropping to the 80s for most areas. An onshore breeze in eastern New England may bring even cooler temperatures, especially in the afternoon (70s). Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected in central and southern New
England. It is a day to be weather-aware and prepped to seek shelter indoors should you need to.

The weekend will feature highs in the 70s on Saturday and 80s on Sunday, with lingering humidity. Right now, Saturday appears mostly dry, with a risk of scattered storms returning on Sunday, particularly inland.