Alert archive / Connecticut / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 32, NWS Boston/Norton, MA

July 4, 2026Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut

NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 4, 2026, 8:02 PM EDT for Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut. It was in force for 27 min. 2 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, 8:02 PM EDT (00:02 UTC)
Expired: Jul 4, 2026, 8:29 PM EDT
In force: 27 min
Issued by: NWS Boston/Norton, MA
Area: Storm-based polygon
Damage threat: Considerable
Hail: 1.75 in
Wind: 60.0 mph

County Capitol Planning Region, CT

The radar

The Brookhaven radar (KOKX), 86 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:05 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, 8:07 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Southington, CT	In Southington, multiple trees and wires down blocking Andrew St. Relayed via Amateur Radio.
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 2 storm reports to this severe thunderstorm warning; the first came 5 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 00:00Z, 0.0 hours before the alert went out and 86 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: 1105 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -28 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1723 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 29 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 100 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 144 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.1
Supercell composite: 3.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

234 
WUUS51 KBOX 050002
SVRBOX
CTC003-050100-
/O.NEW.KBOX.SV.W.0032.260705T0002Z-260705T0100Z/

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

The National Weather Service in Boston/Norton has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
  Southern Hartford County in northern Connecticut...

* Until 900 PM EDT.

* At 801 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Berlin, or
  near New Britain, moving southeast at 30 mph.

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

  SOURCE...Public.

  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, Wethersfield,
  Farmington, Berlin, Rocky Hill, Avon, Plainville, and Burlington.

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 4180 7298 4173 7248 4165 7252 4163 7271
      4161 7271 4159 7275 4158 7276 4157 7280
      4155 7282 4157 7285 4155 7285 4156 7288
      4156 7295 4163 7293 4164 7294 4164 7298
      4180 7301
TIME...MOT...LOC 0001Z 299DEG 27KT 4163 7279 

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

$$

Legro

4 follow-up statements

853 
WWUS51 KBOX 050005
SVSBOX

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

CTC003-050100-
/O.CON.KBOX.SV.W.0032.000000T0000Z-260705T0100Z/
Hartford CT-
805 PM EDT Sat Jul 4 2026

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM EDT
FOR SOUTHERN HARTFORD COUNTY...

At 804 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Berlin, or near
New Britain, moving southeast at 30 mph.

HAZARD...Two inch 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, Wethersfield,
Farmington, Berlin, Rocky Hill, Avon, Plainville, and Burlington.

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 4180 7298 4173 7248 4165 7252 4163 7271
      4161 7271 4159 7275 4158 7276 4157 7280
      4155 7282 4157 7285 4155 7285 4156 7288
      4156 7295 4163 7293 4164 7294 4164 7298
      4180 7301
TIME...MOT...LOC 0004Z 299DEG 27KT 4162 7276 

THUNDERSTORM DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
HAIL THREAT...OBSERVED
MAX HAIL SIZE...2.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

Legro

835 
WWUS51 KBOX 050016
SVSBOX

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

CTC003-050100-
/O.CON.KBOX.SV.W.0032.000000T0000Z-260705T0100Z/
Hartford CT-
816 PM EDT Sat Jul 4 2026

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM EDT
FOR SOUTHEASTERN HARTFORD COUNTY...

At 816 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Portland, or
over Middletown, moving southeast at 30 mph.

HAZARD...Two inch 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, Manchester, East Hartford,
Southington, Glastonbury, Newington, Wethersfield, Farmington,
Berlin, Rocky Hill, 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 4173 7248 4165 7252 4163 7271 4161 7271
      4159 7275 4158 7276 4157 7280 4155 7282
      4157 7285 4159 7287 4177 7279
TIME...MOT...LOC 0016Z 299DEG 27KT 4158 7265 

THUNDERSTORM DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
HAIL THREAT...OBSERVED
MAX HAIL SIZE...2.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

Legro

289 
WWUS51 KBOX 050023
SVSBOX

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

CTC003-050100-
/O.CON.KBOX.SV.W.0032.000000T0000Z-260705T0100Z/
Hartford CT-
823 PM EDT Sat Jul 4 2026

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM EDT
FOR SOUTHEASTERN HARTFORD COUNTY...

At 823 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Portland, or
near Middletown, moving southeast at 30 mph.

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

SOURCE...Radar indicated. At 7:55 PM golf ball sized hail was 
         reported in Bristol.

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

Locations impacted include...
Hartford, Manchester, East Hartford, Glastonbury, Newington,
Wethersfield, Berlin, and Rocky Hill.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Prepare immediately for large hail and damaging winds. People outside
should move to a shelter, inside a strong building and away from
windows.

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 4173 7248 4165 7252 4163 7271 4161 7271
      4159 7275 4158 7276 4176 7269
TIME...MOT...LOC 0023Z 299DEG 27KT 4155 7259 

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

$$

Legro

693 
WWUS51 KBOX 050029
SVSBOX

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

CTC003-050038-
/O.CAN.KBOX.SV.W.0032.000000T0000Z-260705T0100Z/
Hartford CT-
829 PM EDT Sat Jul 4 2026

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN HARTFORD COUNTY
IS CANCELLED...

The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the area.
Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 100 AM EDT for
northern Connecticut.

Remember, additional severe thunderstorms are moving into 
southeastern Hartford County.

LAT...LON 4173 7248 4165 7252 4163 7271 4161 7271
      4159 7275 4158 7276 4176 7269
TIME...MOT...LOC 0023Z 299DEG 27KT 4153 7254 

$$

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, 47 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, 47 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 45 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 43 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

The office that day

Everything else NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 4, 8:18 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BOX	Capitol Planning Region	46 min
Jul 5, 2:24 AM EDT	Flood Watch	BOX	Capitol Planning Region, Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region	60 hr

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.