Rare Level 3 Storm Threat to Bring Tornadoes, Large Hail to New England

Residents of New England are being put on alert for a Level 3 storm threat on Tuesday. Here is what you need to prepare for if you live in this corner of the country.

New England Braces for Repeated Rounds of Storms on Tuesday

A large swath of New England will be under the threat of high winds, hail, and isolated tornadic activity Tuesday afternoon through the overnight hours. The storms will fire up around the northern rim of a heat dome anchored over the Midwest and the Great Lakes. The heat will creep into New England as well, sending the mercury well into the 90s ahead of the storms.

A northward bulge in the jet stream through the middle of the week will translate to widespread thunderstorms forecast to erupt across much of New England and into southeastern Canada. The greatest risk of thunderstorms will occur in northern portions of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

You can expect the stormy conditions to move in during the afternoon hours, lingering through the evening and overnight. Cities such as Burlington, Vermont, and Portland, Maine, will both be under the gun for damaging winds and large hail.

The line of storms will push to the south and into central and southern portions of Vermont and New Hampshire in the overnight hours. Some of these storms may reach as far as the coast of Maine.

Potential Impacts Include Power Outages and Flooding

Winds of up to 85 mph are possible in the strongest storm cells. Forecasters are warning that winds will be strong enough to trigger widespread power outages in the northern flank of New England. This part of the country is not accustomed to winds of this ferocity.

Motorists using interstates 87 and 95 in this part of New England will want to be prepared for reduced visibility and ponding on roadways. Flooding is possible in low-lying areas.

Overnight lows will bottom out in the low 70s across the region after the sun goes down on Tuesday. Places such as Burlington will swelter with highs that approach the century mark. This means that there will be little relief from the heat in areas that lose power.

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