Boston, MA – The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for Western Massachusetts, effective from 1:50 PM to 9:00 PM EDT today. Residents should prepare for potentially damaging winds, large hail, and the possibility of a tornado.
According to the NWS Storm Prediction Center, thunderstorms originating in central New York are expected to rapidly move eastward, posing risks of scattered damaging winds with gusts up to 75 mph. Isolated large hail events, with hailstones up to 1.5 inches in diameter, are also possible. The watch area extends approximately 60 miles east and west of a line from 45 miles north-northeast of Saranac Lake, NY to 30 miles southwest of Pittsfield, MA.
The severe weather is anticipated to cause significant turbulence and wind gusts up to 65 knots for aviation. Residents in the affected areas are advised to stay alert to threatening weather conditions and listen for subsequent updates and possible warnings. The NWS emphasizes that severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce tornadoes, reinforcing the need for vigilance.
