The majority of the severe weather today will be focused from southern New England back to the Eastern Great Lakes and southward towards the Southeast as a strong cold front moves through the eastern third of the United States. 

As described in the technical forecast discussion, several atmospheric features are combining over these locations to produce a very unstable atmosphere, strong laspe rates, and significant vertical direcation and speed shear.  These attributes to the atmosphere will lead to the development of large hail, frequent lightning, wind gusts over 65 mph, isolated tornadoes, and heavy downpours. 

At first, much of the development of thunderstorms will be of super cell, independent thunderstorms that will have the potential to develop rapidly and with limited warning over these regions.  However, as the cold front approaches and the low level jet stream increases in strength this evening, a solid intense line of strong to severe thunderstorms will develop and track east towards the coastal plain.  This line of thunderstorms will have the potential to develop impressive bow echoes, which is an indication of strong wind gusts along with large hail. 

These thunderstorms will be dangerous and caution should be used this afternoon and evening with these thunderstorms.

Tags: Connecticut, Flash Flooding, Great Lakes, hail, heavy downpours, Mid Atlantic, New England, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, severe thunderstorms, Southeast, tornadoes, wind gusts