Heat Wave Could End Friday Afternoon

A cold frontal passage Friday afternoon and evening will bring an end to the heat wave that started the first day of summer on Wednesday, the National Weather Service predicts.

"Low pressure moves east of the region on Saturday with weak high pressure building in for the remainder of the weekend. A cold front moves across the region on Monday. An upper level disturbance will keep conditions unsettled through the first half of next week," the National Weather Service says.

The break in the heat will come as a relief to residents in northern Middlesex, who have been dealing with temperatures in the mid-90s the past two days and could see 90 again on Friday before the front moves through. If the temperature does reach 90, it will mark the first official heat wave of the season.

While temperatures might be a little lower Friday, the NWS is issuing an air quality alert from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) says the air quality alert Friday is for the south central and southeastern coast of Connecticut, from New Haven east to Groton-New London. 

"DEEP is now extending this forecast to Friday for the south central and southeastern coast of Connecticut due to weather patterns that will maintain elevated concentrations of ground-level ozone pollution," it said in a press release. "Clouds and showers are forecast to enter inland Connecticut late in the afternoon thus dispersing the ozone. South central and south eastern coastal Connecticut will be the last to receive the clouds and showers so the ozone levels may still exceed the standard in that area."

The high Friday could reach 92 inland, according to wfsb.com. Its forecast calls for partly sunny and hot with thunderstorms developing during the afternoon. Some storms could be strong to severe with gusty winds and hail. The highs on Saturday and Sunday will be in the mid-80s.

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