Scattered to isolated showers and severe thunderstorms for today.

 

Looking at the surface chart and radar

 

We can see the frontal system heading toward the Saint Lawrance Valley, with the warm front lifting through and the trailing cold front over the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley. This is going to make for an instable atmosphere with rounds of showers and thunderstorms. The radar shows the line moving across New York State. This afternoon some of these storms can be strong-to-severe, with damaging winds, torrential downpours that can lead to flash flooding, hail and frequent lightning. There is a risk for a few isolated tornadoes as well.

Ahead of the cold front winds will be quite gusty with gusts of 40-50 mph. This could lead to   sporadic power outages due to downed trees and power lines.  Some of the thunderstorms could produce gust of 60-70 mph.

 The NWS has issued a Tornado Watch that is in effect through 3 p.m. across upstate New York and Vermont and parts of Massachusetts, currently there are a few tornado warned storms in New York State  

 

Arthur

On Wednesday afternoon the wide center of disorganized Tropical Storm Arthur officially made landfall just northeast of Matagorda Bay, southeastern Texas, and is expected to move further inland. It will continue to weaken as it moves inland into parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and the Florida Panhandle, while still dumping heavy rain,

Tornado Watch Number 352

 SEL2

   URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
   Tornado Watch Number 352
   NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
   1000 AM EDT Thu Jun 18 2026

   The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

   * Tornado Watch for portions of 
     Western Massachusetts
     Central and Eastern New York
     Vermont

   * Effective this Thursday morning and afternoon from 1000 AM
     until 300 PM EDT.

   * Primary threats include...
     A couple tornadoes possible
     Scattered damaging winds likely with isolated significant gusts
       to 80 mph possible

   SUMMARY...A line of fast-moving thunderstorms will sweep eastward
   across the watch area through the early afternoon, posing a risk of
   damaging winds and a few tornadoes.

   The tornado watch area is approximately along and 60 statute miles
   north and south of a line from 35 miles northwest of Elmira NY to 25
   miles east of Montpelier VT. For a complete depiction of the watch
   see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU2).

   PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

   REMEMBER...A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for
   tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch
   area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for
   threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements
   and possible warnings.

   &&

   OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...CONTINUE...WW 349...WW 350...WW 351...

   AVIATION...Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
   surface and aloft to 0.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
   gusts to 70 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 400. Mean
   storm motion vector 26040.

   ...Hart