The hottest weather so far in 2026 is on the way for Tuesday and Wednesday in Southern New England.
A Bermuda high-pressure ridge will crank up the heat as temperatures push towards record highs. The record high on Tuesday is 91 set in 2017, and the record on Wednesday is 95 set back in 1996. We have a better chance to break the record on Tuesday with a forecast high of 91 than we do on Wednesday when the forecast high is 93 degrees.
A Heat Advisory is in effect for potential heat indices (feels-like) approaching 96 degrees. Normally, this would barely meet Heat Advisory criteria, but the National Weather Service decided to issue advisories in part because the heat is unusual for mid-May in Southern New England.
Temperatures will be cooler in the upper 70s at the coastline thanks to an onshore, southwesterly wind.
An Air Quality Alert is also in effect on Tuesday for air quality that will be unhealthy for sensitive groups due to elevated ozone levels on Tuesday. That means anyone with respiratory issues, such as asthma, should limit their time outdoors on Tuesday.
The heat peaks on Wednesday ahead of a cold front. The heat combined with the approaching front will likely spark a few showers and thunderstorms on Wednesday afternoon, first in Connecticut, and then spreading across Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts in the 4 to 8 p.m. time frame on Wednesday.
A few of those storms on Wednesday could be on the strong side, with gusty winds the main threat. Frequent lightning and downpours will also be possible. The Storm Prediction Center has outlined most of Southern New England in a “marginal” level 1 out of 5 risk for severe storms, which is the lowest risk category.
The best chance for storms will be inland, away from the south coast, because a cooler seabreeze at the coast will tend to weaken any storms that approach the coastline…