Early Afternoon Vermont Severe Storms Update: Severe Storm Watch Issued

NOAA's Storm Prediction Center around noon
focused on this area, including Vermont that
is likely to have scattered severe thunderstorms
for the rest of this afternoon. 

 A severe thunderstorm watch is now in effect throughout Vermont and eastern New York.

The severe storm watch is effect now until 9 p.m. this evening. 

NOAA's Storm Prediction Center released what is known as a Mesoscale Discussion around noon. These focus on particular areas of interested in which potentially dangerous weather is coming soon.

This one focused on Vermont, eastern New York and part of northeast Pennsylvania. 

According to the statement, storm coverage in the region covered will be pretty scattered and not particularly widespread. But those relatively few places that do get nailed might really get it. 

By far the most likely source of problems from these storms would be damaging straight line winds. We could see a couple places deal with large hail as well.

There's still a very, very low, but not zero chance of a brief spinup tornado.

Even if a particular thunderstorm isn't quite severe when it hits you, watch out for dangerous cloud to ground lighting and torrential downpours. 

Thunderstorms were already firing up in central New York as of 1:30 p.m. They were rapidly heading northeastward toward Vermont. The fact that they were forward speed is so fast means you might not get all that much lead time between the time you might receive a severe thunderstorm warning and the time you actually get the storm. 

It's good that they're moving rapidly, because that won't give them much time to dump enough rain to trigger flash flooding. Still, a couple places could get some flash flooding today if they get "lucky "enough for storms 

After the initial scattered batches of storms that come through Vermont more storms could arrive with additional downpours and lightning. The atmosphere might be somewhat more stable by then, so that might reduce, but not eliminate the chances the evening storms being severe. 

But we're not entirely sure about that, so stay tuned. And keep your eyes to the skies this afternoon. Be ready to move indoors quickly. And have a ready source of receive severe weather warnings, such as wa weather radio or reliable local media.