Flood Watch Issued In MA With Strong Storms Inbound

WORCESTER, MA — The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for a large portion of Massachusetts from Springfield to Boston with strong thunderstorms expected across the region Thursday.

The flood watch will be in effect beginning 11 a.m. Thursday with forecasters concerned that soil soaked by rain in recent weeks may trigger flash floods in urban and suburban areas. The region saw a burst of thunderstorms on Tuesday night and Friday that caused flooding and other damage.

"Strong thunderstorms Thursday will be capable of producing heavy rainfall, combined with already saturated soil promotes a flash flood threat for the area," the weather service said.

The flood watch includes a number of major communities across Massachusetts, including Greenfield, Fitchburg, Framingham, Lowell, Lawrence, Gloucester, Milford, Worcester, Foxborough, Norwood, Cambridge, Boston and Quincy.

The flood watch will coincide with a heat advisory that will also go into effect Thursday at 11 a.m. All of Massachusetts except the Berkshires will be under that advisory with heat indices expected to approach 100.