Wicked Warmup As Summerlike Stretch Hits MA: How Hot Will It Get?

Those waiting for months to break out the shorts and sandals for a legitimate taste of summer weather across Massachusetts will get their chance this week as temperatures soar well above normal and challenge 80 degrees for the first time since October.

A round of showers overnight Sunday into Monday paved the way for a spike in the warm weather starting Monday afternoon and peaking toward the end of the week, according to the National Weather Service.

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A brisk southwest wind on Monday will usher in temperatures nearly 20 degrees higher than Sunday's highs. Temperatures were set to reach the mid-70s in interior Massachusetts, while holding to the 50s along the coast.

A big change in the pattern will be evident overnight on Monday as temperatures do not fall back toward freezing — instead holding in the high 50s with a touch of humidity.

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Tuesday will feature sunny skies with a high temperature of 78 degrees. It could hit 80 in some spots in the Merrimack Valley and Worcester County, while again remaining cooler along the coast because of a developing seabreeze.

One of the first chances for thunderstorms could hit the region on Tuesday night, with temperatures staying very warm and windy with a high temperature of 79 degrees during the day and near 60 at night.

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Thursday may include a step back to high temperatures near 70 degrees before they surge back near 80 degrees on Friday.

The long-range forecast for next weekend includes a return to more seasonable weather with high temperatures in the 60s under sunny skies on Saturday and with a chance of showers on Sunday.