Boston sea breeze drops temperature 20 degrees in 20 minutes
By Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff, and Matt Collette, Globe Correspondent
After near record-breaking temperatures and shirt-sticking humidity, the wind shifted dramatically in Boston this afternoon and washed the city in a salty sea breeze that dropped the temperature 20 degrees in 20 minutes.
The mercury had reached 93 degrees at Logan International Airport at 1 p.m., with a sultry northwest wind blowing muggy air off land withering in the year's first heat wave. At 1:40 p.m. the wind shifted and began blowing cool air off Massachusetts Bay, which sent the temperature into freefall, according to the National Weather Service in Taunton.
The relief only extends a few miles inland, creating a line separating hot and cold that runs through Roslindale, Brookline, Allston, and west Cambridge.
"The west side of the line is baking. The east side of that line is air-conditioned," said William Babcock, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Taunton. "It's one of the neat things about Boston weather, the effect of the water. It all depends on that wind."
Away from the coast, New England continues to roil in the heat. When the temperature plunged to 73 degrees at Logan, it was 93 degrees at Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford.
The unseasonable heat the last few days has sent people scurrying for air conditioning and ice cream knowing that they must endure at least one more day for relief. A cold front is not expected until Wednesday, when drier air will push the temperatures into the mid-80s.
A record was tied at 1 p.m. in Rhode Island, where the temperature hit 95 degrees at TF Green International Airport. In Massachusetts it also reached 95 degrees in Taunton.
On Tuesday the temperature is expected to top out again near 95 degrees and stay steamy until the cold front rumbles in late at night. The temperature in Boston will depend whether the wind is blowing off the water or the land.
A heat advisory will remain in effect in Boston until at least Tuesday, making cooling areas available to residents at Boston Centers for Youth & Families community centers. Mayor Thomas M. Menino also urged residents to check on their elderly neighbors and contact the Elderly Commission (617-635-4366) or the mayor’s 24-hour hotline (617-635-4500) to report any concerns.
The weather has been good news for JP Licks ice cream chain. "On Saturday and Sunday, our business just quadrupled," said Kim Sawchuk, director of operations.
As the heat spiked so did air-conditioner sales, with Economy Hardware on Massachusetts Avenue in Boston selling 200 to 300 units in the last few days. "People wait till the heat comes and they make their purchase," said manager Joe Johnson.
It was not that easy to keep the animals cool at the Franklin Park Zoo. Staffers used mist to cool parrots and sprayed ostriches with a hose. Wading pools helped chill the tapirs, mammals that look like a cross between an elephant and a hog. They were rubbed down with sunscreen designed for babies (water- and tear-proof with a sun protection factor of 30 to 50).
"They don’t make sunscreen for tapirs,” said Jeannine Jackle, a zoo curator.
The special summer treat is saved for lions, wild dogs, and other carnivores. The zoo makes blood Popsicles from the liquid left behind by meat used for feed.
"It's kind of gross," Jackle said, "but the animals really like it."
