Will Wildfire Smoke, Severe Storms Hit Massachusetts This Weekend?

MASSACHUSETTS — The combination of a weekend storm and smoke from the New Jersey wildfires could make for a hazy and soggy Saturday across Massachusetts with the threat of thunder and lightning as well.

Haze from the New Jersey wildfires that have burned thousands of acres, closed roads and forced evacuations could affect the region on Friday, with breaks in the clouds revealing an orange-brown hue for some.

• NJ Wildfire: Pictures, Videos Depict Damage As Fire Rages

That comes as a new report said that air quality in the metro areas of Boston, Worcester and Providence has gotten worse in recent years, with wildfire smoke from Canada being a major factor in the decline.

• Air Quality In The Boston Area Is Getting Worse, Report Card Says. See The Grades For Massachusetts

The Boston area was ranked 61st worst in America for ozone pollution, according to the "State of the Air Report."

The air-quality concerns will give way to the potential of thunderstorms and heavy rain on Saturday, with rain and the chance of severe storms arriving after noon, the National Weather Service said. The NWS said the potential for rain is 100 percent — ending last week's brief reprieve from a stormy stretch of Saturdays going back to the heart of the winter.

An inch or more of rain is likely across Massachusetts.

Rain is forecast to continue into Saturday night with wind gusts up to 25 mph.

Sunday will be a much cooler day with showers possible and high temperatures only near 55 degrees.

As has also often been the case in recent weeks, a marginal weather weekend will give way to a much nicer start of the work week as temperatures again spike well above normal.

Monday will be partly sunny with a high of 71 degrees, followed by a high of 76 on Tuesday and a high of 78 on Wednesday in Greater Boston.

Long-range forecasts suggest — you guessed it — the next chance of significant rain returning just in time for next weekend.

(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.)