A series of thunderstorms could bring severe weather to the Capital Region and Hudson Valley over the next few days, including high winds, hail, flooding, and even a possible tornado.
After heavy rain Tuesday morning, thunderstorms are expected in the afternoon. Areas south and west of Albany into the Hudson Valley and Catskills are most likely to see hail or damaging winds with gusts up to 60 mph.
Flooding is also possible if there are repeated storms, and there is a slight risk for a tornado - though that's most likely south and west of Interstate 84 - according to National Weather Service meteorologist Michael Main.
Real-time weather across New York | Flood tracking
Wednesday's forecast is similar, with thunderstorms expected in the afternoon and evening and the most severe weather likely west of the Hudson Valley. Half an inch to 1 ½ inches of rain is possible.
"We're watching some clusters of thunderstorms that are going to track into the area," Main said. "We can't rule out a few places that could see a couple inches of rain that could lead to flooding issues."
The forecast is more uncertain Thursday, with meteorologists watching to see whether there will be slower, multiple rounds of heavy rain that could lead to more flooding.
It wouldn't be the region's first tornado this summer, after an EF-1 and EF-0 twister touched down last Thursday in Wilton during a wave of severe thunderstorms upstate. But any flooding would be nowhere near the severity seen at the end of July, when torrential rain dumped around a foot in some parts of the region.
Since then, the ground has had time to dry out, making isolated, scattered flooding typical of a summer storm more likely, Main said.
"This is not an unusual pattern to see during the summertime," he said.
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This article originally published at Storms could bring hail, flooding to region, possible tornado in Hudson Valley.