'Anomalous' Heat Coming To MA, Early Forecasts Say

MASSACHUSETTS — Temperatures have been near the 90-degree mark a few times this spring, but the region's first real heat wave will begin next week, according to early forecasts.

The National Weather Service is predicting a heat wave beginning Tuesday, with early forecasts showing temperatures hitting highs at or near 90 that day. Forecasts show the heat increasing to the mid-90s on Wednesday and Thursday, and "perhaps flirting with 100 degrees in some spots," the weather service said.

The weather service is forecasting heat indices between 95 and 104 during the event. The heat index is what it feels like outside with air temperature and humidity combined.

"The [ensemble forecast] situational awareness table indicates parameters outside the models of climatology, which is a signal for the potential of a highly anomalous event ... in this case heat and humidity. Near record high temperatures will be possible," the weather service said Thursday.

If temperatures reach even the mid-90s on either Wednesday or Thursday, some cities could see century-old heat records fall. Here are the heat records for the Boston and Worcester areas for June 19, 20 and 21:

June 19

• Boston — 96 in 1923
• Worcester — 93 in 1923

June 20

• Boston — 98 in 1953
• Worcester — 93 in 1953

June 21

• Boston — 96 in 2012
• Worcester — 91 in 2012