Danielle Noyes

Because Bostonians haven't had time to acclimate to the heat yet, this early spike can be tougher on the body than a 90-degree day in July. Here's what to know about the forecasted heat and how to keep safe.

The thermometer ticked past 90 degrees at 11 a.m. Tuesday, making it the warmest May 19 on record. It was early enough that the city could break more records.

As Massachusetts residents head into the unofficial kickoff to summer, they'll no longer feel the record heat, as the holiday weekend brings a big pattern shift to the region.

This powerhouse storm is coming down from Canada and bringing some very un-May-like conditions.

The weather will cooperate beautiful for big outdoor plans this long holiday weekend in the Boston area. Not only do we have a stretch of spectacular weather lined up to transition us into summer, but the timing of our next rainmaker couldn't be better.

What elevates heat wave this from uncomfortable to downright dangerous is the tropical air mass accompanying the heat. And adding to the physical strain is the total lack of overnight recovery.

This isn't just a standard stretch of summer high temps. The area will see a potential six-day heat wave that will test residents' patience, air conditioners and the record books.

If it feels this summer has required more time hiding in the air conditioning than enjoying the great outdoors lately, the data officially backs that up.

This smoke comes from a sudden flare-up of intense wildfire activity in far northern Minnesota and neighboring Ontario, Canada, where hot, dry and windy conditions sparked explosive fire growth. Thanks to a favorable jet stream pattern, that smoke is advecting (moving horizontally) straight into New England's backyard.

An extensive plume of thick wildfire smoke has drifted directly into New England , turning skies a milky, yellow-brown hue and triggering air quality alerts. The source of this dramatic sky is a cluster of aggressive wildfires burning in Ontario, Canada, and northern Minnesota.