NWS warns Orange County of strong thunderstorms, gusts up to 40 mph

Strong thunderstorms pushed into Orange County Tuesday night, bringing gusts up to 40 mph to Middletown, Kiryas Joel, Woodbury and Newburgh as the National Weather Service warned the line could linger until 10:15 p.m. EDT.

The National Weather Service New York office, which covers Orange County and the Lower Hudson Valley, urged residents to stay alert as the storms moved through the county. The office said thunderstorm wind gusts in the 40 to 57 mph range can down small tree branches, a risk that can quickly turn a routine drive or errand into a hazard if limbs fall across roads or parking lots.

The advisory came during a round of unsettled spring weather that also kept thunderstorm chances active across the Hudson Valley. NWS severe-weather guidance for the region says thunderstorms can bring damaging winds, large hail, tornadoes and flash flooding, underscoring that even a brief storm can have wider consequences than a short burst of rain and wind.

Orange County’s storm threat was notable because severe weather season in the region usually peaks from June through August, making April thunderstorms an early-season warning sign rather than a summer regularity. The weather service’s guidance says now is the time to prepare, and Tuesday’s storms offered a reminder that the first strong systems of the warm season can still produce downed branches, scattered power problems and difficult travel in the evening hours.