On Saturday, a line of severe thunderstorms ripped through the tri-state area. Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey all felt the impact.
The storms brought damaging winds up to 60 mph, heavy downpours, lightning, and even quarter-sized hail. Towns like Stamford, Norwalk, Danbury, and Hartford saw trees come down and power flicker out, but somehow, the region dodged truly catastrophic damage.
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Severe Weather Batters the Region
The National Weather Service fired off several severe thunderstorm warnings throughout the afternoon and evening. They urged everyone to watch out for strong wind gusts, hail, and dangerous lightning.
Storms hit hardest between early afternoon and evening. The Hudson Valley, metro New York City, and parts of northern and central New Jersey took the brunt, but Connecticut still got slammed.
Damage Reports from Connecticut and Beyond
Emergency crews in Bridgeport, New Haven, and Waterbury hustled to deal with downed wires, fallen branches, and blocked roads. New Jersey had its own share of dramatic moments.
- In Glen Rock, NJ, a huge tree crashed across two front yards, missing both houses by just inches. A security camera caught the tree brushing right past a front doorbell.
- In Yonkers, NY, lightning struck a garage and sparked a fire. Firefighters got there fast and stopped it from spreading to the house.
High Winds and Heavy Rainfall
Wind gusts hit 60 mph. That’s enough to snap big limbs and rip down power lines.
Rain fell hard, with some spots picking up more than two inches by nightfall. In places like Middletown and Norwich, downpours reached two inches per hour, flooding low-lying neighborhoods for a while.
Safety Warnings Issued to Residents
Officials told Connecticut residents to head inside during the worst of the storms. They warned about a few big dangers:
- Flying debris tossed by high winds.
- Fallen trees blocking roads and damaging yards.
- Downed power lines creating electrical hazards.
Public works crews in several towns worked late to clear streets and reopen access.
Close Calls Highlight the Severity
Incidents like the Glen Rock tree fall and the Yonkers garage fire really show how dangerous these storms can get. In Fairfield and Greenwich, people found massive limbs smashed into backyards and fences, but they narrowly missed hitting homes or cars.
Community Response and Resilience
Connecticut’s emergency services jumped into action. Fire departments, police, and utility crews teamed up to clear hazards and get the lights back on.
In Hartford County, crews kept at it late into the night, working to restore power for hundreds still in the dark.
Improved Weather Ahead
Luckily, the weather turned around fast once the storms moved out. By Sunday morning, cooler, drier air settled in, and high pressure built over the Northeast.
This week’s forecast? Clear skies and comfortable temps for Connecticut—a welcome break from the wild weather.
Looking Forward
Storms like these are pretty much a summer tradition in New England. Still, Saturday’s system really hammered home how quickly severe weather can turn dangerous.
In just minutes, it caused plenty of damage and left people scrambling. Folks in New London and Torrington should definitely keep an eye on the sky, especially since July and August bring the wildest thunderstorms.
Here is the source article for this story: Powerful storms threaten to bring heavy rain, wind, hail, even tornadoes Saturday P.M.
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