Boston shatters record highs, hitting 96 degrees on Tuesday, for the hottest spring day in over a century

The heat was quite intense across New England on this Tuesday in May, hitting the 90-degree threshold in the morning before quickly soaring to sweaty levels in Boston and many other communities, shattering records one by one. Boston and other cities in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Vermont all saw record-breaking heat, with the city climbing to an official high of 96 degrees by 2 p.m., blowing past its 76-year record of 90 and tying for the second-hottest spring day in the metro area, according to National Weather Service data.

Here’s how the rest of the region fared with Tuesday’s heat:

The new record daily high temperatures across much of New England on Tuesday.Boston Globe

Dozens of New England towns and cities away from the South Coast set new daily high records, including Reading, Lowell, Milton, Newton, Framingham, Natick, Walpole, Springfield, Westfield, Greenfield, Northampton, and Pittsfield; Providence; Portland, Maine; Manchester and Keene, N.H., and Bennington, Vt. The daily temperatures steadily increased all morning, and before long, they hit the upper 90s in many areas. Hopefully, everyone has been able to stay hydrated and avoid long stretches outdoors.

We’ve also seen a couple of official heat waves register on Tuesday afternoon. Marked as three consecutive 90-degree or warmer days, the Hartford and Springfield areas recorded their first heat wave of the season, with both registering a top-10 earliest heat waves of the season for both cities.

Dew points on Tuesday rose to the low and mid-60s, making it feel really muggy and uncomfortable as the stifling heat took over. But the intense 96-degree heat was fleeting. By 3:30 p.m., temperatures had dropped to around 91 in the Boston area – still hot but slowly coming down.

Only near the immediate coast by the Cape and along southern Rhode Island and Mass. did temperatures remain below 90 degrees, thanks to a steep southerly flow pushing cooler air off the ocean’s surface on shore.

Here’s how the hottest spring days now rank for Greater Boston. (Record-keeping started in the late 1800s):

• 97 degrees — May 26, 1880
• 96 degrees — May 19, 2026, 1944, 1929, 1880
• 95 degrees — May 2017, 1979, 1930, 1914
• 94 degrees — May 2013, 2010, April 1976, 1931, 1929, 1896.

Years with the hottest spring day versus Tuesday’s highs:

• Boston — 1880 (Tuesday was the 2nd hottest)
• Reading — 2017 (Tuesday sets a new record high for the hottest spring day)
• Fitchburg — 2022 (ties for 4th hottest)
• Worcester — 2023 (ties for the 10th hottest)
• Springfield/Westfield — 2010 (2nd hottest)
• Greenfield — 2022 (Tuesday sets a new record high for the hottest spring day)
• Manchester, N.H. — 2010 (ties hottest)
• Concord, N.H. — 2017 (ties for 5th hottest)
• Portland, Maine — 2017 (ties for 6th hottest)

Wednesday: More heat on the way

Wednesday will also see temperatures surge back into the upper 80s and low 90s, though they’re not expected to reach such dramatic highs as we’ve seen on Tuesday.

Greater Boston will likely reach 90 degrees, which will challenge the existing daily high record for May 20, which reached 91 in 1996. A few other areas, such as Portland, Manchester, and Springfield, may also set new daily highs on Wednesday.

Highs on Wednesday will likely return to the 90s for much of Southern New England away from the immediate coast.Boston Globe

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Ken Mahan can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Instagram @kenmahantheweatherman.