With temperatures soaring above 100 degrees around the Boston area, people have been looking for ways to keep cool.
Power outages across the region made it difficult for some people — nearly 10,000 customers were without power across Massachusetts on Thursday night, and almost 7,000 without power in New Hampshire’s Lakes District.
A representative for Eversource said most of the utility’s outages came because of the heat and its effect on equipment. Crews were working into the morning to get power back on line.
Air conditioners have been faltering in the heat — Akian Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric told NBC10 Boston that it had a big bump in calls, hundreds a day.
To help its residents, the city of Chelsea is keeping some of its splash pads open all day and all night, into Sunday.
People cool off in the cold waters of Gloucester’s Good Harbor Beach as a heat wave affects Massachusetts on Thursday, July 2, 2026.
At Boston Harborfest, the oppressive heat didn’t stop people from coming out and enjoying the festival, getting their faces painted, having cake and attempting to set a record for most people drinking tea at one time together — 250 for the 250th birthday of the United States.
For Sharon Mann, who’s been waiting to come to the U.S. for the 250th since she was a 14-year-old in 1976, the 200th birthday, America has adapted better than where she’s from, the United Kingdom.
“It’s been very hot at home,” she said. “Here, at least you have air conditioning. We have no air conditioning at home.”
Worcester was a little cooler than Boston, but still reached 94 degrees Thursday. It tends to feel hotter in the neighborhood of Green Island, which is what experts call a heat island.
“There is no vegetation around there at all,” said Professor Stephen McCauley of Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
The city is working to ameliorate the issue by expanding green spaces and tree cover.
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