Alert archive / Connecticut / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 31, NWS Boston/Norton, MA

July 4, 2026Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut

NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 4, 2026, 7:22 PM EDT for Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut. It was in force for 53 min. 8 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued: Jul 4, 2026, 7:22 PM EDT (23:22 UTC)
Expired: Jul 4, 2026, 8:15 PM EDT
In force: 53 min
Issued by: NWS Boston/Norton, MA
Area: Storm-based polygon
Hail: 0.75 in
Wind: 60.0 mph

County Capitol Planning Region, CT

The radar

The Brookhaven radar (KOKX), 103 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:26 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Jul 4, 7:40 PM EDT	TSTM WND GST 56	2 W Burlington, CT
Jul 4, 7:49 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Burlington, CT	In Burlington, CT, trees and wires down on Route 4. Relayed via Amateur Radio.
Jul 4, 7:50 PM EDT	HAIL 3	Bristol, CT	In Bristol, 3 inch hail was reported.
Jul 4, 7:55 PM EDT	HAIL 1.75	Bristol, CT	In Bristol, golf ball sized hail fell.
Jul 4, 7:59 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Bristol, CT	In Bristol, multiple trees were reported down across town. Relayed via Amateur Radio.
Jul 4, 7:59 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Bristol, CT	In Bristol, power lines were reported down and on fire. Relayed via Amateur Radio.
Jul 4, 7:59 PM EDT	HAIL 1.25	1 W Plainville, CT	In Plainville, Half Dollar sized hail fell.
Jul 4, 8:07 PM EDT	HAIL 1.75	New Britain, CT	In New Britain, golf ball sized hail was reported. Relayed via Amateur Radio.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

Did it verify

Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched 7 storm reports to this severe thunderstorm warning; the first came 27 minutes after it went out.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Jul 4, 7:20 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	3 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Brookhaven, NY (KOKX), launched 12:00Z, 11.4 hours before the alert went out and 103 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.

Mixed-layer CAPE: 392 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -206 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1531 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 34 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 6 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 65 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

975 
WUUS51 KBOX 042322
SVRBOX
CTC003-013-050015-
/O.NEW.KBOX.SV.W.0031.260704T2322Z-260705T0015Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
722 PM EDT Sat Jul 4 2026

The National Weather Service in Boston/Norton has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
  Western Tolland County in northern Connecticut...
  Hartford County in northern Connecticut...

* Until 815 PM EDT.

* At 721 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over West 
  Hartford, moving east at 25 mph. There is an additional severe 
  thunderstorms approaching Torrington that will enter the warning 
  area in the next 20 to 25 minutes.

  HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and penny size hail.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated.

  IMPACT...Expect damage to trees and power lines.

* Locations impacted include...
  Hartford, New Britain, West Hartford, Bristol, Manchester, East
  Hartford, Enfield, Southington, Glastonbury, Newington, Vernon,
  Windsor, Wethersfield, South Windsor, Farmington, Simsbury,
  Bloomfield, Berlin, Rocky Hill, and Avon.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.

To report severe weather, contact your nearest law enforcement
agency. They will send your report to the National Weather Service
office in Boston/Norton.

Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to
flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 4181 7295 4184 7294 4185 7295 4189 7294
      4190 7291 4195 7290 4203 7238 4163 7235
      4163 7250 4165 7251 4164 7257 4165 7299
      4180 7302
TIME...MOT...LOC 2321Z 264DEG 21KT 4176 7273 

HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

Legro

3 follow-up statements

383 
WWUS51 KBOX 042343
SVSBOX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
743 PM EDT Sat Jul 4 2026

CTC003-013-050015-
/O.CON.KBOX.SV.W.0031.000000T0000Z-260705T0015Z/
Tolland CT-Hartford CT-
743 PM EDT Sat Jul 4 2026

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 815 PM EDT
FOR WESTERN TOLLAND AND HARTFORD COUNTIES...

At 743 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Burlington, or
near Bristol, moving southeast at 35 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and half dollar size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to 
         trees and power lines.

Locations impacted include...
Hartford, New Britain, West Hartford, Bristol, Manchester, East
Hartford, Enfield, Southington, Glastonbury, Newington, Vernon,
Windsor, Wethersfield, South Windsor, Farmington, Simsbury,
Bloomfield, Berlin, Rocky Hill, and Avon.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.

To report severe weather contact your nearest law enforcement agency.
They will send your report to the National Weather Service office in
Boston/Norton.

Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to
flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 4181 7295 4184 7294 4185 7295 4189 7294
      4190 7291 4195 7290 4203 7238 4163 7235
      4163 7250 4165 7251 4164 7257 4165 7299
      4180 7302
TIME...MOT...LOC 2343Z 296DEG 28KT 4175 7294 

HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.25 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

Legro

387 
WWUS51 KBOX 042351
SVSBOX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
751 PM EDT Sat Jul 4 2026

CTC003-013-050015-
/O.CON.KBOX.SV.W.0031.000000T0000Z-260705T0015Z/
Tolland CT-Hartford CT-
751 PM EDT Sat Jul 4 2026

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 815 PM EDT
FOR SOUTHWESTERN TOLLAND AND CENTRAL HARTFORD COUNTIES...

At 751 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Farmington,
moving east at 25 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and half dollar size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to 
         trees and power lines.

Locations impacted include...
Hartford, New Britain, West Hartford, Bristol, Manchester, East
Hartford, Southington, Glastonbury, Newington, Vernon, Windsor,
Wethersfield, South Windsor, Farmington, Simsbury, Bloomfield,
Berlin, Rocky Hill, Avon, and Plainville.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.

To report severe weather contact your nearest law enforcement agency.
They will send your report to the National Weather Service office in
Boston/Norton.

Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to
flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 4181 7295 4184 7294 4185 7295 4187 7294
      4192 7238 4163 7235 4163 7250 4165 7251
      4164 7257 4165 7299 4180 7302
TIME...MOT...LOC 2351Z 264DEG 21KT 4176 7288 

HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.25 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

Legro

402 
WWUS51 KBOX 050003
SVSBOX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
803 PM EDT Sat Jul 4 2026

CTC003-013-050015-
/O.CON.KBOX.SV.W.0031.000000T0000Z-260705T0015Z/
Tolland CT-Hartford CT-
803 PM EDT Sat Jul 4 2026

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 815 PM EDT
FOR SOUTHWESTERN TOLLAND AND SOUTHERN HARTFORD COUNTIES...

At 803 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over West Hartford,
moving east at 25 mph.

HAZARD...Golf ball size hail and 60 mph wind gusts.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...People and animals outdoors will be injured. Expect hail 
         damage to roofs, siding, windows, and vehicles. Expect wind 
         damage to trees and power lines.

Locations impacted include...
Hartford, New Britain, West Hartford, Bristol, Manchester, East
Hartford, Southington, Glastonbury, Newington, Vernon, Wethersfield,
South Windsor, Farmington, Berlin, Rocky Hill, Avon, Plainville,
Ellington, Tolland, and Coventry.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.

To report severe weather contact your nearest law enforcement agency.
They will send your report to the National Weather Service office in
Boston/Norton.

Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to
flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 4181 7295 4177 7266 4192 7238 4163 7235
      4163 7250 4165 7251 4164 7257 4165 7299
      4180 7302
TIME...MOT...LOC 0003Z 264DEG 21KT 4177 7279 

THUNDERSTORM DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.75 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

Legro

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Boston/Norton, MA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jul 4, 7:15 PM EDT, 7 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

Significant heat and humidity continues for the rest of this afternoon and evening. Scattered showers and thunderstorms possible through the evening. A storm or two may produce strong to damaging wind gusts.
Cooler temperatures are forecast for the first half of the week. Temperatures have the potential to be much cooler as a soaking rain is becoming more likely in the late Sunday through Tuesday time frame.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 4, 7:15 PM EDT, 7 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
715 PM EDT Sat Jul 4 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
No significant changes with this forecast update.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Significant heat and humidity continues for the rest of this
  afternoon and evening. Scattered showers and thunderstorms
  possible through the evening. A storm or two may produce
  strong to damaging wind gusts.

- Cooler temperatures are forecast for the first half of the
  week. Temperatures have the potential to be much cooler as a
  soaking rain is becoming more likely in the late Sunday
  through Tuesday time frame.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1...Significant heat and humidity continues for the
rest of this afternoon and evening. Scattered showers and
thunderstorms possible through the evening. A storm or two may
produce strong to damaging wind gusts.

Hot and humid conditions ongoing across southern New England,
with temperatures and heat indices alike well into the mid-to-
upper 90s. Heat Advisory in effect for northern CT, majority of
MA, and RI until 8 PM EDT this evening.

Elsewhere, convection is continuing across upstate NY and
central/south VT. This activity is trying to "split the gap"
between southern MA/northern CT/RI and northeastern MA. The
northeastern MA solution is winning at the moment, with a
cluster of storms crossing over into parts of Essex County as of
2:45 PM EDT.

High-resolution guidance has been rather ugly in trying to
picture how the rest of this afternoon and evening unfolds.
Overall, ultimately think that this splits up into two different
"events" (such that they are): this afternoon between now and
5-6 PM, and another between 8-11 PM. Firework shows this evening
could be dicey at times, particularly for eastern MA. Showers
and storms move offshore by 2 AM EDT at the latest.

Cold front due before sunrise Sunday morning, where a wind shift
from the NNE will kick in, veering to the ENE throughout the
day. Highs much more reasonable in the low-to-mid 80s.

KEY MESSAGE 2...Cooler temperatures are forecast for the first
half of the week. Temperatures have the potential to be much
cooler as a soaking rain is becoming more likely in the late
Sunday through Tuesday time frame.

High confidence remains that temps will cool down and return to
more seasonable summer readings thru next week. For starters
850 mb temps are forecast to cool to between +12 to +15C. That
will be enough to get temps back into the 80s on its own.
Dewpoints are also forecast to cool down as well, which will
make things feel more comfortable than it has been.

Temps may also be much cooler if we can get substantial cloud
cover and rain into the forecast area. Overnight guidance has
doubled the number of ensemble members with more than 1 inch of
QPF. Now nearly all of the ECMWF ensemble members are in that
camp around BDL, with roughly half of members greater than 1
inch as you move northeast to BOS. However the GEFS has also
moved on board with roughly half of all members at or above 1
inch QPF across southern New England. Deterministic model
guidance is forecasting mid level warm advection to produce an
area of frontogenesis, giving this a little more synoptic
support for rainfall than the more typical scattered summertime
convective pattern to rainfall. NBM PoP looks pretty good at
this range, with categorical across the southwestern forecast
area and likely farther northeast, given the timing uncertainty.
Rain could begin as early as late Sun night and continue thru
Tue. Right now 6 hr FFG across much of the forecast area is at
least 3 inches, so I am not anticipating flooding unless we see
guidance really start to ramp up QPF numbers.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
Forecaster Confidence Levels...

Low - less than 30 percent.
Moderate - 30 to 60 percent.
High - greater than 60 percent.

00Z TAF Update...

Today through Sunday...High confidence.

VFR conditions dominate through Sunday except during any TSRA.
Storms should move off the northeastern shore by 01-02z, but
moving into western CT/MA 00-02z. Storms should move eastward
off the Cape/Islands by 06Z at the latest tonight. Frontal
passage expected before sunrise Sunday morning, where a wind
shift from the NNE is expected. Winds will continue to veer
towards the ENE throughout the day.

KBOS Terminal...Moderate confidence in TAF. Uncertainty
surrounding thunderstorm coverage and duration.

KBDL Terminal...Moderate confidence in TAF. Uncertainty
surrounding thunderstorm coverage and duration.

Outlook /Monday through Thursday/...

Monday: Mainly VFR, with local IFR possible. Breezy. SHRA
likely, slight chance TSRA.

Monday Night: Mainly MVFR, with local IFR possible. Breezy.
SHRA likely, slight chance TSRA.

Tuesday: Mainly VFR, with local IFR possible. Breezy. SHRA
likely, chance TSRA.

Tuesday Night: Mainly VFR, with local IFR possible. Breezy.
Chance SHRA, slight chance TSRA.

Wednesday: VFR. Slight chance SHRA.

Wednesday Night: VFR.

Thursday: VFR. Breezy.

&&

.MARINE...
Forecaster Confidence Levels...

Low - less than 30 percent.
Moderate - 30 to 60 percent.
High - greater than 60 percent.

Today through Sunday...High confidence.

A relatively weak pressure gradient will keep winds/seas below small
craft advisory thresholds this holiday Weekend. Some 20+ knot
WNW wind gusts over the land this afternoon may result in some
nearshore chop...but no headlines will be needed for the waters
this weekend with seas generally 3 feet or less.

Outlook /Monday through Thursday/...

Monday: Winds less than 25 kt. Chance of rain showers, slight
chance of thunderstorms.

Monday Night: Winds less than 25 kt. Areas of seas approaching
5 ft. Rain showers likely, slight chance of thunderstorms.

Tuesday: Moderate risk for Small Craft Advisory winds with
gusts up to 25 kt. Seas up to 5 ft. Rain showers likely, chance
of thunderstorms.

Tuesday Night: Winds less than 25 kt. Seas up to 5 ft. Chance
of rain showers, slight chance of thunderstorms.

Wednesday: Winds less than 25 kt. Seas up to 5 ft. Chance of
rain showers.

Wednesday Night: Winds less than 25 kt. Seas up to 5 ft.

Thursday: Winds less than 25 kt. Seas locally approaching 5 ft.

&&

.BOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CT...Heat Advisory until 8 PM EDT this evening for CTZ002>004.
MA...Heat Advisory until 8 PM EDT this evening for MAZ002>023-026.
RI...Heat Advisory until 8 PM EDT this evening for RIZ001>007.
MARINE...None.

&&

DISCUSSION...Guest
AVIATION...McMinn/Guest
MARINE...Guest

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 4, 3:17 PM EDT, 4 hours 5 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
317 PM EDT Sat Jul 4 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0309 PM     Marine Tstm Wind 1 NE Rockport           42.66N 70.60W
07/04/2026  M51 MPH          ANZ251             MA   Mesonet

            Mesonet station on Gap Head.

&&

Local storm report, Jul 4, 3:19 PM EDT, 4 hours 3 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
319 PM EDT Sat Jul 4 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0304 PM     Marine Tstm Wind 2 ENE Ipswich           42.69N 70.80W
07/04/2026  M40 MPH          ANZ251             MA   Mesonet

            Mesonet station on Little Neck.

&&

Legro

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Connecticut, 2026 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2026

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.