Severe Weather: Tornado Warning in New Hampshire, Vermont and New England

Tornado Watch Dropped for New Hampshire

Late Sunday night, a tornado watch for New Hampshire was dropped after a day of severe thunderstorms and tornado warnings. Initially, the watch was effective through 8 p.m. statewide, extending to 10 p.m. for the southern two-thirds of the state.

These storms brought strong wind gusts, small hail, lightning, and heavy downpours. It remains unknown whether a tornado formed or made a touchdown. For continuous updates, residents are advised to download the WMUR app for Apple or Android devices and enable push notifications.

Tornado Watch Issued for Parts of New England

The National Weather Service in Grey, Maine, has issued a tornado watch for portions of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont until 8 p.m. This watch signals that current weather conditions could potentially lead to a tornado, urging residents to be prepared to seek shelter immediately.

The New Hampshire Department of Safety’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management advises residents and visitors to brace for possible damaging winds, isolated tornadoes, hail, and flash flooding.

Safety Recommendations from the Department of Safety

To ensure safety, the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency recommends the following precautions:

• Have multiple ways to receive weather alerts.
• Follow storm updates from the National Weather Service and local news locations.
• Sign up for NH Alerts.
• Download the GenasysProtect mobile app.

In the event of flooding:

• Move to higher ground immediately.
• Remember, “turn around, don’t drown.”
• If floodwaters surround your car but are not moving, abandon the car.
• Prepare your home by trimming potentially hazardous trees and securing outdoor objects.

Unitil Corporation’s Preparations

In anticipation of the severe thunderstorms expected Sunday afternoon and night, Unitil Corporation has secured additional crews and prepared to respond to outages across all service regions. The company will communicate updates through Public Service Announcements, their website, customer call center, and media.

Tornado Watch for Vermont

Vermont was placed under a tornado watch by the National Weather Service until 8 p.m., specifically for parts of Lamoille, Addison, Chittenden, and Washington counties. By 3 p.m., the storm weakened, and the warning expired. Meteorologist Marlon Verasamy advised residents in areas under a tornado warning to take shelter and avoid windows.

The severe weather potential resulted from the interaction of a warm front and a cold front. Additionally, some areas faced severe thunderstorm warnings with threats of hail and high wind gusts. Tornado watches or warnings in Vermont occur only once or twice a year on average.

Heat Advisory Warnings in Iowa

The Iowa Department of Agriculture issued heat advisory warnings for several counties. In Case, Iowa, heat index values could reach up to 107, with the advisory lasting from 8 PM CDT this evening to 1 PM to 7 PM CDT Tuesday. Fremont, Page, Pawnee, and Richardson counties will be under advisory from 1 PM to 7 PM CDT Tuesday. Additionally, the advisory includes Douglas, Lancaster, Mills, Pottawattamie, Sarpy, and Saunders counties in Nebraska.

Understanding Tornado Alerts

Tornado alerts issued by the National Weather Service serve as critical warnings to prepare for potential tornadoes:

Tornado Watch: Issued by the Storm Prediction Center for areas where tornadoes may occur.
Tornado Warning: Issued by a local forecast office, indicating imminent danger to life and property.
Tornado Emergency: The highest alert level, issued when a violent tornado has touched down, posing a severe threat to human life and property.

For safety, individuals should prepare before a tornado, take cover during a tornado, and follow local forecasts for the latest updates.