Severe Storms Bring Flash Flood, Lightning Risk To MA

MASSACHUSETTS — A transition day from the hazy, hot and humid 90s of Thursday and a cooler weekend will bring a round of storms Friday afternoon that could include vivid lightning and flooding in areas that could get hit with 2 to 3 inches of rain within an hour or two.

The National Weather Service has extended an elevated Lightning Risk and Flash Flood Watch for most of Massachusetts, with the greatest chance of storms coming in Worcester County, northern Middlesex County and the Merrimack Valley.

A pocket of very strong storms moved through north central Massachusetts early Friday morning before weakening as it brought rain to the Merrimack Valley and the North Shore.

Those storms will become more frequent and widespread Friday afternoon, with the best chance of severe storms coming later in the afternoon north and west of Boston.

These storms could bring vivid lightning with possible strikes and wind damage.

The severe storms will dissipate after dark, with a chance of showers continuing into the evening and overnight.

Saturday will bring another round of storms with thunderstorms early in the day and showers in the afternoon, with a high of 77 degrees. This will likely mark the 12th Saturday in a row with measurable rain in Greater Boston.

The NWS said between a quarter of an inch and a half-inch of rain is possible on Saturday.

Sunday will be a much brighter and slightly cooler day with mostly sunny skies and highs in the low 70s.

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(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.)