The Massachusetts State Police said it lifted its closure of the Fourth of July event at the Esplanade after its shutdown two and a half hours earlier out of caution for the bad weather.
“We will re-open the security checkpoints into the Esplanade at 5PM,” the agency updated via email shortly before 5 p.m. “The screening process will resume; visitors will be allowed in to watch the concert and fireworks, which will begin as scheduled. We thank the public for their patience during this temporary restriction.”
The MSP at around 2:30 p.m. published an “URGENT” tweet: “Due to expected heavy rain and possibility of lightning thru 5 PM we are temporarily suspending entry onto the Esplanade at the security checkpoints. This is being done so that if we do have to evacuate venue in case of lightning, fewer visitors will have to be evacuated.”
The warning was bolstered by an emergency alert, which was automatically pushed to this reporter’s phone at 3:18 p.m.: “Emergency Alert: Per MSP; Pls evacuate Boston POPS event area and seek shelter due to incoming weather. All entry gates will be closed, will reopen when safe to do so.”
The July 4 Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular at the Hatch Shell on the Charles River Esplanade is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. and runs until around 11 when fireworks wrap up. Gates open at noon, and officials say they are ready for an all-day affair.
Fireworks were planned for about 10:30 p.m., and the State Police did not elaborate on changes that far in advance.
After the rain and storms on Tuesday, it should finally be drier on Wednesday and Thursday, the Herald has reported, but it’s expected to be very warm and humid with highs in the upper 80s to lower 90s.
