Tornadoes, hail, heavy rain could hit Mass. as possible thunderstorms strike Saturday
While Massachusetts is no longer in tornado season , the National Weather Service said Friday that an upcoming storm could bring heavy rain and the potential risk for tornadoes on Saturday.
Saturday should bring "a final taste of summer heat and humidity" as anomalous moisture and highs in the low to mid-80s could leave conditions feeling hot, forecasters wrote. This should "set the stage" for scattered strong to severe storms across the interior.
The risks of damaging winds, large hail and possible tornadoes could hit at any point between 1 and 10 p.m., forecasters said. These risks are more slight in most of Western and Central Massachusetts, while these risks are marginal across the lower half of Central Massachusetts, including Worcester, and across northeastern Massachusetts, including Boston.
High levels of low instability could result in "low-level spin and result in a tornado or two," forecasters wrote. Wind gusts could reach 52 to 58 mph.
Forecasters also worry about possible flash flooding, as precipitable water could amount to between 1 and a half to 1.8 inches. Flash flooding is most likely to happen in urban areas in western and central southern New England.
"The biggest fly in the ointment will be the timing of clearing," forecasters wrote, and added that there could be "a narrow window of clearing later Saturday morning with the majority of the day being cloudy... Thankfully, it looks like storms will be quick to wind down after sunset Saturday."
Rain showers should continue across the east from Saturday night into Sunday morning, with steady rain likely to be southeast of Interstate 95, forecasters said.
Instability could continue on Sunday, when there is the potential for an isolated thunderstorm risk in the morning, forecasters said. Conditions should dry out across the interior by the afternoon, but showers could linger in the afternoon along and southwest of the I-95 corridor. Daytime highs should be in the mid-60s to the low 70s.
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