Rainy Relief From 'Red Flag' Fire Dangers, 'Critical' Drought Expected

MASSACHUSETTS — Relief is coming to those who have lived through smoke-filled skies and the dangers of nearby brush fires encroaching on residential neighborhoods — especially on the North Shore — in recent weeks with some much-needed rain forecast for later this week.

Red Flag Warnings are expected to extend across the state both Tuesday and Wednesday with temperatures in the high 50s, very low humidity and a brisk northwest wind making any spark a possible brush fire with the potential to swallow acres of bone-dry leaves and brush after months of limited rain.

• MA Fire, Water Restrictions Extended Amid Expanding 'Severe' Drought

But that is expected to change starting late Wednesday night with a storm that could bring up to an inch of rain across a region under "critical drought" conditions.

The National Weather Service said rain will arrive after 4 a.m. on Thursday and extend throughout the day with the chance of precipitation at 100 percent. Up to an inch of rain is possible in what figures to be a cool, raw day with a high of 51 degrees and a persistent easterly wind.

Winds will ramp up from the south on Thursday as rain lingers before clearing on Friday.

While the shot of rain will not end the drought conditions, it should put a dent in them and quell lingering brush fires that have flared up for weeks amid the long stretch of sunny, mostly warm, and windy weather.

Plumes of smoke from the Boxford State Forest fire were expected to hover over Peabody and Danvers through Swampscott, Marblehead and Lynn and out over the ocean through Wednesday.

The Blue Hills Reservation in Milton was closed on Tuesday due to an expansive brush fire there.

The rain should clear for the weekend with a return to seasonable temperatures with highs near 50 degrees under sunny skies with a gusty breeze.

A mostly sunny and cool stretch follows with the next chance of significant rain likely coming in around Thanksgiving.

(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.)