The forecast calls for a high of 97 on Wednesday - but the high humidity will make it seem like 102 degrees.
View full sizeThe dog days of summer are here as an English Bulldog takes a breather from chasing his ball at the Michael T. Downey Fields in Forest Park.This is an update to an article posted at 2:43 p.m. Tuesday
SPRINGFIELD - A combination of high temperatures and high humidity on Wednesday and Thursday are expected to create oppressive conditions throughout the region and people are being warned to limit strenuous midday activity outside.
The National Weather Service has posted a hazardous weather outlook for Western Massachusetts, particularly the lower Connecticut River Valley, for both days.
Temperatures on Wednesday are expected to climb as high as 97 degrees but with the high humidity, the heat index is expected to be 102 degrees. It will back off a little on Thursday; temperatures will be as high as 97 but the heat index will be around 100 degrees.
The weather service has also issued a heat advisory that will be in place from noon until 7 p.m. Wednesday. The combination of high temperatures and high humidity will create dangerous conditions for people who have to spend extended time outside.
The city of Springfield does not anticipate declaring a heat emergency that would precipitate the opening of cooling centers in various areas of the city, said Helen R. Caulton-Harris, the city’s director of health and human services.
The city typically declares a heat emergency whenever heat indices are expected to exceed 105 degrees or nighttime temperatures are expected to remain at 80 or higher for three consecutive 24-hour periods. Neither of those benchmarks are expected go be hit this week, Caulton-Harris said.
Springfield has issued a heat advisory, however, and residents, particularly the young and elderly, are advised to stay indoors, in air conditioning if possible. Residents should also eat well-balanced meals, drink plenty of fluids, wear loose-fitting and light-colored clothing. Those with elderly and homebound neighbors should check in on them from time-to-time, Caulton-Harris said.
In Belchertown, plans by the National Grid to replace a power transmission pole will cause the Belchertown Housing Authority site at Everett Acres to be without electricity for much of Wednesday. The work is expected to begin at 8 a.m. and be completed before 4 p.m.
The 50 residents, mostly elderly and disabled, will be allowed to go to the town Senior Center, 60 State St., for the day.
View full size Liza Kelleher, age 4, of Springfield puts her best foot forward as she tests the water at the spray park at Kenefick Park in Springfield. With the forecast calling for oppressive heat on Wednesday and Thursday, people are advised to stay cool anyway they can.National Grid spokeswoman Charlotte McCormack said the utility company notified the Housing Authority about a week ago about the project.
She said as concerns grew about the weather forecast, they were told by the Housing Authority that arraignments would be made to find a cooling shelter for the residents.
In a post on the Belchertown Facebook page, Matt Charrette, chairman of the town Housing Needs & Assessment Committee, writes the senior center will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the Everett Acres residents and meals will be provided.
If more space is needed, the high school or town hall could be opened, he said.
The steamy forecast has prompted Ludlow school officials to announce the early closure of the town’s elementary schools and middle school Wednesday and Thursday.
The elementary schools, according to an automated message sent out Tuesday to members of the Ludlow school community, will end classes at 1:45 p.m. The middle school, meanwhile, will end classes at 1:15 p.m.
Ludlow High School students are already getting out early those days as a part of final exam week.
In anticipation of the heat, the state Department of Conservation and Recreation will open its various beaches and wading pools, including Chicopee Memorial State Park’s Reservoir Beach, on Wednesday. That’s three days earlier than the anticipated opening.
Meteorologist Nick Morganelli of CBS3 Springfield said conditions will be uncomfortable in just about every respect.
Temperatures will be in the mid to upper 90s, and the humidity as measured by the dew point will be 65 to 70 degrees and maybe as high as 72 degrees, he said.
There won’t even be any relief at night as the heat and humidity will make it uncomfortable for sleeping, he said.
No relief is expected until Friday, he said.
“For the two days people should take precautions. Stay hydrated. Stay out of the midday sun. If you’re going to exercise, exercise in the morning when the temperatures will be lower,” he said.
The federal Environmental Protection Agency issued an advisory on Tuesday that warned the air quality in the southern portions of Connecticut and Rhode Island and the southeast part of Massachusetts including Cape Cod will experience unhealthy air quality due to high amounts of ground-level ozone.
In the Pioneer Valley, the air quality is expected to be moderate, meaning levels of pollutants in the air could be a problem for some people with respiratory issues or who are sensitive to air-borne pollution.
The EPA has a website offering real-time air quality information and forecasts. The site is called www.airnow.gov
Republican reporter Patrick Johnson contributed to this article.