Severe thunderstorm watch issued for Sullivan County Tuesday night

A severe thunderstorm watch covered Vermont, New York and New Hampshire Tuesday night, putting Sullivan County communities from Claremont and Charlestown to Newport, Sunapee and Grantham on alert for damaging wind, hail and possible flash flooding after dark. The same storm setup also carried a tornado threat, while most of New Hampshire was under a heat advisory as a second summer heat wave pushed humidity and temperatures that felt like more than 100 degrees.

For western New Hampshire, the timing mattered as much as the forecast. Storms in the Connecticut River Valley and the lake region can build and move quickly, leaving little lead time for commuters, outdoor workers, boaters and youth sports events to get under cover before lightning or heavy rain arrives. In a county with both village centers and long rural stretches, outages and road problems can hit one part of town without affecting another.

Households faced the most immediate disruptions from falling limbs, downed wires and fast-moving water. Strong gusts can bring trees onto local roads and cut power for a few minutes or longer, while heavy rain can turn low-lying stretches slick and reduce visibility where drainage is poor. Lightning also poses a direct risk at parks, athletic fields, beaches, boat launches and roadside work sites, especially once daylight fades and storms are harder to see approaching.

The National Weather Service Burlington office was issuing severe weather products and hazardous weather outlooks for the region Tuesday night. Its watches and warnings covered the Burlington area as forecasters tracked the evolving storm threat.

Residents should secure outdoor furniture, charge phones and backup batteries, move vehicles away from trees if possible and be ready to shelter quickly if conditions worsen.