On Sept. 8, 1978, 15 year old Mary Lou Arruda was abducted from our town and murdered. We will never forget her.

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) would like to advise residents of the attached forecast bulletins from the National Weather Service offices in Albany, New York and Norton concerning the high temperatures and heat indices today and the potential for strong to severe thunderstorms this afternoon and evening.

From the National Weather Service in Norton:

Hot and humid conditions are on tap today with our first taste of excessive heat this summer season as heat indices will range from 95-103°F for interior areas of S New England.

• HEAT ADVISORIES posted which have been expanded to include the city of Boston and surrounding metro-area, as well as the mid CT River Valley.

This in addition to the potential for strong to severe thunderstorms this afternoon into evening with embedded threats of cloud to ground lightning, strong to damaging winds, and/or brief heavy rain.

• There is presently a MARGINAL to SLIGHT RISK for scattered strong to severe thunderstorms, mainly over northern and western areas of MA and CT.
• There is also a MARGINAL RISK for excessive rainfall over northern and western areas of MA.

Watches, Warnings and Advisories

Heat Advisory 
Issued: June 18 at 4:17AM EDT
Expiring: June 18 at 6:00PM EDT

Areas affected: Eastern Franklin; Eastern Hampshire; Eastern Norfolk; Suffolk; Western Norfolk

Heat Advisory
Issued: June 18 at 4:17AM EDT
Expiring: June 18 at 6:00PM EDT
Areas affected: Central Middlesex County; Eastern Hampden; Southeast Middlesex; Western Essex

Air Quality Alert
Issued: June 17 at 11:00PM EDT

Areas affected: Central Middlesex County; Eastern Essex; Eastern Franklin; Eastern Hampden; Eastern Hampshire; Eastern Norfolk; Northern Worcester; Northwest Middlesex County; Southeast Middlesex; Southern Worcester; Suffolk; Western Essex; Western Hampden; Western Norfolk

Air Quality Alert 
Issued: June 17 at 7:00PM EDT

Areas affected: Barnstable; Dukes; Nantucket; Southern Bristol; Southern Plymouth

MEMA Operations

The State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) at MEMA Headquarters in Framingham is currently operating at Level 1 (Steady State Monitoring).  MEMA will continue to monitor the forecast and will disseminate Situational Awareness Statements as necessary.

Preparedness and Safety Information

Thunderstorm and Lightning Safety Tips: https://www.mass.gov/service-details/thunderstorm-and-lightning-safety-tips

Extreme Heat Safety Tips: https://www.mass.gov/service-details/extreme-heat-safety-tips

Tornado Safety Tips: https://www.mass.gov/service-details/tornado-safety-tips

Stay Informed

Utilize Massachusetts Alerts to receive emergency notifications and information from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service.  Massachusetts Alerts is a free app that is available for Android and iPhones. To learn more about Massachusetts Alerts, and for information on how to download the free app onto your smartphone, visit: http://www.mass.gov/service-details/massachusetts-alerts-smartphone-app.

Utilize MEMA’s real-time power outage viewer to stay informed about current power outages in your community and region, and across the state, including information from utility companies about restoration times: http://mema.mapsonline.net/public.html

Utilize MEMA’s live weather radar and forecasting tools: http://www.mass.gov/map-resources

Online Resources
Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency at www.mass.gov/mema
MEMA’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/MassachusettsEMA
MEMA Twitter: @MassEMA
Federal Emergency Management Agency at www.fema.gov
National Weather Service/Norton at www.weather.gov/boston
National Weather Service/Albany, NY at www.weather.gov/albany
National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center: http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov
National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center:  http://www.spc.noaa.gov/
Mass211 at www.mass211.org