A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued in parts of Massachusetts as storms are set to bring damaging winds, flooding, and possible tornadoes.
This watch is in effect for Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Worcester counties through 8 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
Boston 25 News Meteorologist Tucker Antico warned that the peak of the storms is expected between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
The North Shore and Boston have a chance to see rain after dark, but storms will have weakened at this point.
Temperatures in the mid-80s and humid conditions will fuel an afternoon front, packing the ingredients for summer storms west and north of Boston.
“Wind and flooding are my greatest concerns, and you heard me mention tornado, and it is a day where although it is a low threat, it’s very much there,” said Antico during his Saturday morning forecast.
The Storm Prediction Center has much of Chicago’s North Side, as well as the northern and western suburbs, at a Level 2 risk for severe weather, with the city’s South Side and south suburbs and Northwest Indiana at a Level 1 risk for severe weather on Monday.
Strong storms started moving into the Chicago area around 3:30 p.m. and have continued to prompt severe weather warnings into the evening hours.
Strong storms started moving into the Chicago area around 3:30 p.m. and have continued to prompt severe weather warnings into the evening hours.
A Flash Flood Warning is in effect for Porter County until 12:15 a.m. Tuesday.
A Flash Flood Warning is in effect for Cook and Lake (IN) counties until 11:30 p.m. Monday.
A Flash Flood Warning is in effect for Will County until 11:15 p.m. Monday.
A Flood Watch is in effect for Boone, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Will, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, LaSalle, Lake (IL), McHenry, Winnebago, Lake (IN) and Porter counties until 4 a.m. Tuesday.
A Tornado Warning was is in effect for Kane County until 4:30 p.m. Monday. It has since expired.
There are ground stops at O’Hare and Midway airports due to the storms.
Monday’s 7:05 p.m. game between the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field has been postponed.
The makeup game is scheduled as the first game of a split doubleheader Tuesday with the makeup game scheduled to begin at 1:20 p.m. The originally scheduled game on Tuesday will take place, as scheduled, at 7:05 p.m.
A thunderstorm moving through Lockport on Monday evening made for an impressive lightning show as high winds and intense wind hit the south suburb.
Strong storms are bringing heavy rain and flash flooding, along with damaging winds, to the Chicago area on Monday.
Video taken off of Oneida Drive captured what an earlier round of rain left behind: inches of water covering neighborhood streets.
And just as those floodwaters receded, another heavy round of rain, lightning and strong winds came through once again. Thunder roared in the already waterlogged area.
And over DeKalb County, storms wreaked havoc in Genoa.
Crews were there tending to downed power lines and branches, including a large tree that came down.
Heavy rain in that area flooded streets and lawns as residents had their water pumps working overtime.
The storms made their way east through Chicago, where the downtown area was hit with a downpour.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Nearly 1 million Houston-area residents were without power as southeast Texas experienced severe thunderstorms and heavy rain.
But after the storms had passed, CenterPoint Energy confirmed to ABC13 that its downtown building and system had been damaged as a result Thursday.
“As the line of severe weather has made its way through our region, it is now safe for our crews to begin assessing damage but can confirm we’ve experienced significant damage to our system,” the power giant wrote in a statement.
This sparks questions about the actual amount of customers affected. However, CenterPoint says restoration efforts have already begun and will ramp up Friday morning as the damage becomes more visible.
“We are committed to restoring power to our customers as safely and as quickly as possible,” the company wrote.
On Monday at 7:22 p.m. a severe thunderstorm watch was issued by the NWS Fort Worth TX in effect until 9 p.m.
This watch is in effect until 9 p.m.
Actions to take when lightning threat is imminent
Around 25 million lightning strikes occur in the United States every year, with most taking place during the summer months. The NWS reports that these strikes result in about 20 fatalities annually. The probability of lightning strikes rises as a thunderstorm approaches and peaks when the storm is directly above. As the storm moves away, this likelihood decreases.
Here are tips on how to stay safe during a thunderstorm:
• To minimize risk of being struck by lightning, when going outside, have a plan to get to a safer place.
• If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.
• Once inside, avoid contact with corded phones, electrical equipment, plumbing, and windows and doors.
• Wait 30 minutes after the last lightning or thunder before going back outside.
If finding indoor shelter is not an option:
• Avoid open fields, hill peaks, or ridge tops.
• Avoid tall, isolated trees or other elevated objects. If you are in a forest, stick to areas with shorter tree cover.
• If you are with a group, fan out to stop the current from transmitting between members.
• When camping in an open environment, select a campsite in a valley, ravine, or low region. Just remember, tents do not offer protection from lightning.
• Keep a distance from water, wet articles, and metal objects. While water and metal do not draw lightning, they are proficient conductors of electricity.
What to do in the rain on the road?
• Turn on your headlights — Even when it’s light outside, using headlights can improve visibility and alert other drivers to your presence.
• While driving — Stick to the middle lanes and stay on elevated ground. Rainwater tends to accumulate at the road edges.
• Steer clear of puddles — Driving into puddles or low areas of rainwater can cause vehicles to hydroplane or skid out of control.
• Don’t tail large vehicles closely — Trucks or buses can kick up a water spray that obstructs visibility.
• Steer clear of flooded areas — When coming to a flooded road, turn around and head back. Flash flooding currents are strong and can sweep drivers off roadways. Driving through deep water can also affect a vehicle’s mechanical and electrical systems.
What is hydroplaning?
Hydroplaning is when a vehicle starts uncontrollably sliding on wet roads.
This happens when water in front of the tire builds up faster than the vehicle’s weight can push water out of the way. The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control. The three main causes of hydroplaning are:
1. Vehicle speed — When a vehicle’s speed increases, the tire-traction grip and ability to control the vehicle decreases. Drive at a reduced speed during wet weather.
2. Water depth — The deeper the water, the sooner a vehicle loses traction on the road. It doesn’t matter how deep the water is, even a thin layer can lead to hydroplaning.
3. Tire tread depth — Checking your tire tread before hitting the road is important, as low or no tread can lead to sliding.
In the event of your vehicle hydroplaning, here’s what to know:
• Ease off the accelerator — Step off the gas to slow down the vehicle until the tires find traction.
• Turn into the skid — Turning into the skid can help the vehicle’s tires realign to regain control.
• Make sure the tires reconnect with the road — During the skid, wait until the tires reconnect with the road and then gently straighten the wheels to regain control.
• Brake gently as needed — Brake normally if the vehicle has anti-lock brakes and pump brakes gently if in an older vehicle.
