Boston – Tuesday, June 25, brought brutal and historic heat to Massachusetts, as a third consecutive day of scorching temperatures pushed thermometers past the 100-degree Fahrenheit (38 °Celsius) mark in dozens of towns, marking a peak in the ongoing early-summer heat wave.
Boston officially reached 100°F (37.7°C) just before 12:30 p.m., tying its all-time June record. But that wasn’t the end of it—by late afternoon, the city hit 102°F (38.8°C), setting a new June high. The city’s absolute record remains 104°F (40°C), set on July 4, 1911.
The heat index, which combines temperature and humidity, soared even higher. In New Bedford, the “feels-like” temperature hit a sweltering 109°F (42.7°C)—one of the highest heat indices recorded across the state.
Throughout Massachusetts, several towns and cities experienced triple-digit temperatures, illustrating the unusual intensity of this early-summer event. Among the hottest locations were Andover, Waltham, Chelmsford, Norwood, New Bedford, Franklin, Plymouth, and Marlboro—all reporting temperatures of 100°F (37.7°C) or higher.
Other communities that joined the 100-degree club on Tuesday include Watertown, Wayland, Shirley, Westwood, Swampscott, Rockport, West Wareham, Fairhaven, and West Bridgewater. Even North Shore and South Coast towns, which are usually spared the most intense heat due to their coastal location, felt the brunt of this oppressive air mass.
This extreme heat follows a trend that began over the weekend, bringing record-breaking conditions to Worcester and setting the tone for a broiling week in the Northeast.
