Tornado watch until 11 p.m.

Tornado watch until 11 p.m.
By Lisa Eckelbecker
Telegram & Gazette Staff

Posted Jun. 23, 2015 at 11:04 AM
Updated at 5:28 PM

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch until 11 p.m. for much of southern New England, and a tornado warning for southeastern Massachusetts until 6 p.m. 

At 5:15 p.m., Doppler radar indicated a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado over Millville, moving east at 35 mph, the weather service said.

The Weather Service office in Taunton tracked severe thunderstorms moving east through Massachusetts earlier today.

"You're going to have a break, and then we anticipate more activity forming up this afternoon in the evening, early evening," said Alan E. Dunham, a meteorolgist in the Taunton office.

The Weather Service statement said the severity of this evening's weather will depend on how much the sun shines this afternoon: If enough sunshine occurs ahead of the coming cold front, it could spawn severe thunderstorms capable of producing wind gusts of up to 70 mph and hail as large golf balls, as well as isolated tornadoes.

 The risk of severe storms is highest between 2 and 8 p.m. along a line from northwest of Boston to Providence.

The weather service said the winds could be capable of knocking down trees and power lines, which could lead to power outages. Minor flooding was also possible in urban areas and places where drainage is poor, forecasters said.