CT Weather: Severe Storms Forecast, 'Damaging' Wind Gusts, Heavy Rain Are Main Concerns

UPDATE: The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of Hartford, Tolland and Windham counties until 6 p.m. A flash flood warning for the area is in effect until 8:15 p.m.

"At 457 PM EDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from near Southwick to near Northwest Harwinton to Woodbury Center, moving east at 30 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts.

IMPACT...Expect damage to trees and power lines.

* Locations impacted include: Springfield, Hartford, New Britain, West Hartford, Bristol,
Manchester, East Hartford, Enfield, Southington, Westfield, Glastonbury, Newington, Vernon, Windsor, Agawam, West Springfield, Wethersfield, Mansfield, South Windsor, and Farmington.

The National Weather Service in Norton has issued a Flash Flood Warning for parts of Hartford and Tolland counties until 8:15 p.m.

"At 503 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 0.5 and 2 inches of rain have fallen. The expected rainfall rate is 1 to 2 inches in 1 hour. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

Some locations that will experience flash flooding include: Springfield, Hartford, West Hartford, Manchester, East Hartford, Enfield, Vernon, Windsor, Agawam, South Windsor, Farmington, Simsbury, Bloomfield, Avon, Longmeadow, Suffield, East Longmeadow, Ellington, Windsor Locks and Granby.

UPDATE: The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for parts of New Haven County until 6 p.m.

"At 321 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 2 and 3.5 inches of rain have fallen. The expected rainfall rate is 1 inch in 1 hour. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

Some locations that will experience flash flooding include: Waterbury, Naugatuck, Southbury, Prospect, Middlebury, Beacon Falls, Bethany and Oxford.

UPDATE: A strong thunderstorm will impact central New Haven County through 4:15 p.m.

At 333 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over Naugatuck, moving southeast at 30 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and half inch hail.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to outdoor objects is possible.

Locations impacted include: Waterbury, Wallingford, Naugatuck, Southbury, Hamden, Cheshire, North Haven, Prospect, Middlebury, Beacon Falls, Bethany, and Oxford.

UPDATE: The National Weather Service said a strong thunderstorm is moving into New Haven County through 3:15 p.m.

"At 230 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over Middlebury, or near Naugatuck, moving east at 20 mph," the wearther service said.

HAZARD...Winds in excess of 25 mph, along with heavy rainfall.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects.

Locations impacted include: Waterbury, Meriden, Wallingford, Naugatuck, Southbury, Hamden,
Cheshire, North Haven, Prospect, Middlebury, Beacon Falls, Bethany, and Oxford.

Original post: The National Weather Service said there is a chance for severe weather on Wednesday.

"Afternoon thunderstorms may produce locally strong to damaging wind gusts, in addition to heavy rainfall and frequent lightning," the weather service said in an update Wednesday morning.

It will be hot once again on Wednesday, with 90 degrees forecast for northern Connecticut. It won't be much cooler either in southern Connecticut, with high temperatures in the upper 80s.

"In advance of an approaching cold front, isolated to scattered showers & storms will be possible during the afternoon/evening hours (especially northwest of I-84)," according to WFSB 3 TV meteorologists. "The front now appears to arrive later, therefore higher humidity lingers into tomorrow, as does the potential for storms... because of this, tomorrow is now also a *First Alert Weather Day.* Overall, the risk for severe weather is low, but we’ll be monitoring. When it comes to rain, we could use some. For the Hartford Area this month, only 0.23” has been recorded!
Behind the cold front, we end the week Friday with sunshine and decreasing humidity!"

Timeline for storms in southern Connecticut via the National Weather Service:

Today: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 9 mph in the morning.

Tonight: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Patchy fog after 2am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Thursday: Showers likely, with thunderstorms also possible after 11am. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 86. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 7 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

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Timeline for storms in northern Connecticut via the National Weather Service:

Today: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 3pm. Some of the storms could be severe. Increasing clouds and hot, with a high near 91. Heat index values as high as 95. South wind 3 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Tonight: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could be severe. Cloudy, with a low around 69. South wind 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Thursday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 87. Light and variable wind becoming north around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10pm, then a slight chance of showers between 10pm and 11pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Weekend forecast details

"With high pressure in control, Saturday features a mostly sunny sky and comfortably warm temperatures. Then, Sunday, dew point values go up, making the air feel muggier. The 2nd half of the weekend will also be hotter, with highs near or above 90. In advance of an approaching front, there’s a slight chance for and isolated shower/storm late in the day," according to WFSB 3 TV meteorologists. (Read more at WFSB 3 TV).

Here are the extended forecast details for Connecticut via the National Weather Service:

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 86.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 92.

Sunday Night: A chance of showers between 8pm and 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 67. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 85.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 78.