Nearly 40 MA Beaches Still Closed As Smokey Skies Linger: See Latest Forecast

MASSACHUSETTS — Nearly 40 Massachusetts beaches were still off limits to swimming as of Tuesday morning as smoke-filled skies gave way to a cooler and drier week ahead of the return of summer heat this weekend.

A haze in the air remained on Tuesday as smoke from Canadian wildfires lifted higher in the atmosphere than the ground-level smoke that caused air quality alerts on Monday. After temperatures were near 90 degrees on Monday, highs will be stuck in the upper 70s through Thursday as winds shift around from the northeast.

The summer heat is expected to return for weekend with highs near 90 on Saturday and Sunday, and back into the 90s early next week.

Most of the 38 beaches were closed on Tuesday 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.

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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 Tuesday include:

• Amherst Puffers Pond
• Boston Tenean Beach
• Chelmsford Freeman Lake
• Clarksburg Mauserts Pond
• Concord Walden Pond Main DCR Beach
• Danvers Sandy Beach
• Dartmouth Moses Smith Creek
• Framingham Learned Pond
• Framingham Waushakum Beach
• Harwich Seymour Pond
• Haverhill Plugs Pond
• Holden Eagle Lake
• Ipswich Sandy Point - Plum Island
• Mashpee Bryant's Neck
• Mashpee Town Landing
• Methuen Forest Lake Swimming Beach
• Middleborough Camp Yomechas
• North Attleborough Falls Pond
• Oxford Carbuncle Beach
• Pittsfield Lulu Pond Beach (DCR)
• Salem Children's Children's Island
• Salem Ocean Avenue
• Southwick South Pond Beach
• Springfield Bass Pond
• Springfield Camp Wilder
• Springfield Paddle Club
• Swampscott King's Beach
• Templeton Beamans Pond (2 sites)
• Townsend Pearl Hill Pond Beach
• Upton Town Beach
• Wareham Shangri-La
• Westfield Kingsley Beach
• Westfield Lamberts Beach
• Wilmington Town Beach (2 locations)
• Winchendon Lake Dennison North Camp Beach
• Winchendon Lake Dennison Day Use 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.)