Tornado watch issued for Friday in Western Massachusetts

By Jack Evans

@JackHEvans

The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for western Massachusetts at 1:30 p.m. Friday, in effect until 10 p.m. Friday.

Severe thunderstorms could move through the area, possibly carrying strong winds, hail and the chance of a tornado.

The storms are expected to affect the area from mid-afternoon through early evening, Bill Simpson, spokesperson for the National Weather Service in Boston, said early Friday afternoon. They’ll then move east through Massachusetts.

The chance of a tornado is hard to put a number on, Simpson said, but it’s probably less than 5 percent. Still, he said, the weather’s conditions might allow for it, and residents should be aware of storm activity.

“Keep an eye in the sky,” he said. “Pay attention to media … Be sure to get indoors if you see anything.”

For a tornado to form, it needs a thunderstorm to act as a “mother,” Simpson said. Even if no tornado appears, the thunderstorms bring other hazards.

Lightning is just as deadly, he said, and it’s far more common. Winds could reach up to 50 mph. Hail is a possibility and, as it appears now, could be dime- or nickel-sized.