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MA Beach Closures Spike As Summer Heat Simmers Back To A Boil: See Latest Forecast
Check out the latest list of beaches closed across Massachusetts with temperatures soaring back into the 90s.
MASSACHUSETTS — Nearly four dozen Massachusetts beaches were off limits to swimming as of Friday morning as mid-summer heat simmered for a return to New England this weekend and well into early next week.
A haze in the air from Canadian wildfire smoke dissipated late in the week — paving the way for a sunny and increasingly hot weekend across New England.
Friday and Saturday will continue this week's dry and pleasant stretch with clear skies and highs near 80 degrees. But that will start to change on Sunday as the heat builds.
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That sets the stage for the next heat wave across much of the state, with the National Weather Service calling for sunny and hot days Monday through Wednesday as high temperatures each day reach the low- to mid-90s with increasing humidity.
Most of the 47 beaches were closed on Friday morning because of high bacteria levels caused by storm runoff and other means of fecal contamination, while a small number of the ponds are suffering from a harmful algae bloom. Water quality at public beaches in Massachusetts is required to be monitored by local public health departments.
Find out what's happening in Across Massachusettsfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
When the water quality is unsafe, the beach must be "posted" with a sign indicating that swimming is unsafe and may cause illness. The main beach at Walden Pond in Concord is closed for the season because of safety concerns associated with the construction of a new bathhouse.
Massachusetts beaches closed as of 10 a.m. on Friday include:
- Ashby Damon Pond Beach
- Athol Silver Pond Beach
- Boston Tenean Beach
- Chelmsford Freeman Lake
- Concord Walden Pond Main DCR Beach
- Danvers Sandy Beach
- Dartmouth Moses Smith Creek
- Harwich Seymour Pond
- Holden Eagle Lake
- Ipswich Sandy Point - Plum Island
- Lynn King's Beach (3 locations)
- Mashpee Bryant's Neck
- Mashpee Town Landing
- Methuen Forest Lake Swimming Beach
- Middleborough Camp Yomechas
- Nantucket Sesachacha Pond
- Natick Dug Pond
- Newton Crystal Lake
- North Andover Frye Pond
- North Andover Stevens Pond
- North Attleborough Falls Pond
- Oxford Carbuncle Beach
- Pittsfield Lulu Pond Beach (DCR)
- Rockport Front Beach
- Salem Children's Island (Front)
- Salem Children's Island (Back)
- Salem Ocean Avenue
- Salem Willow Avenue
- Saugus Pearce Lake Breakheart Reservation
- Sharon Community Center Beach
- Southwick South Pond Beach
- Springfield Bass Pond
- Springfield Camp Wilder
- Springfield Paddle Club
- Templeton Beamans Pond (2 sites)
- Townsend Pearl Hill Pond Beach
- Upton Town Beach
- Wareham Shangri-La
- Westfield Kingsley Beach
- Westfield Lamberts Beach
- Williamstown Margaret Lindley Park
- Winchendon Lake Dennison North Camp Beach
- Winchendon Lake Dennison Day Use Beach
- Winthrop Donovans Beach
- Winthrop Halford Beach
The bacteria used as indicator organisms to test the waters at beaches are Enterococci and E. coli. Marine beaches are tested for the presence of Enterococci. Freshwater beaches are tested either for the presence of E. coli or Enterococci. Enteric bacteria are indicator organisms found in the intestines of warm-blooded animals and humans, often associated with fecal contamination.
An elevated presence of these organisms indicates the water may not be safe for human or animal consumption or contact, and cause symptoms ranging from gastrointestinal pain to eye and ear discomfort to flu-like symptoms.
Most of these symptoms are minor, but occasionally a more serious illness may occur. Children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems are at greater risk of developing serious symptoms.
Some beach areas may remain open for recreational activities, though any contact with the water is strongly discouraged.
(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)
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