Hail And Tornado Potential With Severe Thunderstorms Coming To Leatherstocking Region

Batten down the hatches! The National Weather Service in Binghamton says severe storms are brewing for Chenango, Delaware, and Otsego Counties starting this afternoon.

The NWS is saying that the biggest threats of this storm system coming in this afternoon and continuing overnight are that with the scattered thunderstorms, some of them may be severe with the possibility of large hail, isolated flash flooding, and there is even potential for an isolated tornado.

After a few dry weeks, a little rain would be good however, extreme weather is not welcomed especially since it was only a few short weeks ago that our region experienced flooding as rivers (The Susquehanna) and creeks swelled over their banks with all the precipitation. Some areas are still recovering from that.

When you have advance warning of a severe storm coming, then you can prepare. The National Weather Service provides tips for storm preparation. In the case of a severe thunderstorm, you'll want to close all the windows in your house. Get flashlights ready with fresh batteries. You should also put away anything in your yard that could blow away or be damaged by high winds.

There are plenty of other things you can do to prepare for storms and you can view them here. Preparing provides peace of mind and means you won't be scrambling if the power goes out. You'll have things ready to go and know what to do in different scenarios.

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It's also important to stay up-to-date on the latest weather report for your area. I find the National Weather Service to have the most accurate reports. Click here for the latest weather report for Otsego County and you can just enter your zip code to get the report from the nearest NWS station.