Severe Thunderstorm Watch Declared In PA (Expired)

PENNSYLVANIA — A severe thunderstorm watch was issued through the greater Philadelphia region on Tuesday, as a system packing damaging winds could hit the region in the late afternoon and early evening hours.

More severe weather is expected later in the week when remnants of Tropical Storm Laura are expected to hit the state.

The storm comes just weeks after Tropical Storm Isaias left devastation throughout the greater Philadelphia area, with historic floodwaters overwhelming storm sewers and hundreds of thousands left without power.

The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook, saying showers and thunderstorms associated with a cold front are expected to move through Pennsylvania during the afternoon and early evening on Tuesday.

High winds are the greatest risk, and could cause downed trees and wires, the National Weather Service said. There's a threat of significant power outages as well. The worst of the storm is expected to hit the area between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Parts of southeastern Pennsylvania are in the "high risk" area for the storm.

Damaging winds, hail, flooding downpours and an isolated tornado or two could occur, according to AccuWeather. The clash of two air masses, with hot and steamy air to the south and cooler air to the north, will give the storms a boost in intensity, according to AccuWeather.

Straight-line winds up to 65 mph could snap tree branches and power lines, leaving some communities in the dark for a time, according to AccuWeather. The storms could reach the I-95 corridor during the late afternoon and early evening hours, putting any commuters at risk for lengthy travel times, according to AccuWeather.

Tropical Storm Laura, which was targeting the Gulf coast, was expected to then shift east and bring heavy rains and storms to Pennsylvania by Saturday and Sunday.

Here is the forecast for the Philadelphia area, according to the National Weather Service:

• Tuesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 4pm. Some storms could be severe, with gusty winds. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. West wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Tuesday night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 9pm. Some storms could be severe, with damaging winds and gusty winds. Mostly cloudy during the early evening, then gradual clearing, with a low around 67. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 82. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
• Wednesday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming southwest after midnight.
• Thursday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
• Thursday night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 3am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

With reporting from Patch editor Tom Davis