NEXT Weather Alert: Tornado watch in effect for Philadelphia region

[00:00:00]means that we are looking for showers and thunderstorms to move through, and they already are, that are producing severe thunderstorm warnings and even tornado warnings. We have a tornado watch that is in effect for the area right now, the entire area until 900 p.m. So, let me quickly give you an idea of what we're looking at. The storms today already getting through the area, moving through the area with damaging winds, heavy rain. We're likely going to see flash flooding with some of these thunderstorms and an isolated tornado not out of the question. From now all the way through 900 p.m., even maybe a little later for areas like Delaware to our south. The impacts, tree damage, power outages, and flash flooding. We're likely going to be seeing some air and ground delays as well. Tornado watch there in yellow. That includes almost the entire area until 900 p.m. Further south until 10 p.m. And we have several warnings going across northern New Jersey like Morris County. Meanwhile, we'll keep continue to keep you updated here and online at cbsfiladadelphia.com.

[00:01:00]And for those of you that are still joining me here on the stream, good afternoon again. I'm meteorologist Andrew Kak. We have full team coverage along with meteorologist Grant Gilmore and Bill Kelly. We will continue to watch the severe thunderstorm watches stay in place till about 9:00. So, I should say tornado watch until 9:00. And then the severe thunderstorm warnings that we have for the area moving through. Here's a new one that we have.

[00:01:22]Now, this is going to be for Bucks, uh, Lehi, and Northampton counties. The thunderstorm that we're watching here has the potential for 60 mph winds and maybe some peta marble sized hail with some of this as well. It is a small storm, relatively speaking, moving to to the south of Allentown right now. If you're in Allentown, a couple of heavy downpours in addition to some lightning and thunder. There's the big picture and there's the to the severe thunderstorm warning. You'll notice some of those red boxes though across northern New Jersey.

[00:01:48]This is north of Bridgewater, Morris County, and then moving just to the north. This will cross over into Westchester and uh Putnham counties in New York uh city metro. Those are tornado warnings and we have potentially some tornado development in the northern end of New Jersey. So, this is all part of the same system, all part of the same storm system. We're watching this move through the area. Let's start off with a look at our futurecast. Again, this is doing this is a model doing a very very good job of showing where these storms are at the current time. As we said get into the next hour or so, they're going to start to congeal kind of move a little bit closer into a line situation.

[00:02:24]By the time we get into 6 to 7:00 tonight, that's just in another 3 to four hours. The potential for a very powerful line of thunderstorms to move through the area is there. This also shows that not only could we continue to watch for the potential for an isolated tornado or two, but the potential for straight line winds. When these storms become a little bit more linear, that means that we likely get those winds gusting more than 50 to even 60 mph. So, heads up once we get to about 600 7:00 just west of the city, then through the city and even by about 9 10:00 as the storms lose their severe potential with the sun going down and of course you lose that energy of the day. I do think the Jersey Shore anywhere from Tom's River all the way down to the all the shore points Wildwood Kate May could be looking at flash flooding and a lot of times this situation is that as we head into this afternoon we've got the severe potential but then tonight it becomes more of a flash flooding potential tomorrow some lingering showers in the morning and then we'll see some clearing out especially as we head into the afternoon. So that is why we have a next weather alert. Let's get right into it and talk about where we are right now.

[00:03:28]In fact, what we need in addition to some of the other ingredients for severe weather is heat, humidity, and just a tiny bit of sunshine. And we've got that temperature about 86 in Philadelphia.

[00:03:38]It's humid out there. And there's been some peaks of sun. That helps to cook the atmosphere a little bit. Adds that instability. So that 86 feels like 94 degrees in Philly, feels like 98 in Dover. This is the area that is ripe for development within the next couple of hours for showers and thunderstorms.

[00:03:53]This is a good graphic here. This is the available energy that we have and basically the lighter colors of yellow, orange, red. These more bright colors here indicate where we've got the best energy for some of these storms to come in. And I do think not only will we have the energy for those strong gusty winds with any cells that develop, but there's some spin in the atmosphere as well. And that's going to give us that chance to get in on a couple of potential tornadoes, which we've already had at least one reported north of Bridgewater, uh, New Jersey within the last hour. We also have a flood watch in effect. This is going for almost the entire area that you see here in green. This may be extended for the shore if those storms really start to become strong and kind of sit over the same area. This goes until 2:00 a.m. uh into your Wednesday.

[00:04:38]Severe storm risk today is a three out of five. That is an enhanced risk that includes the entire area from the mountains to this to the uh Lehigh Valley to Philadelphia and the Jersey Shore. So just keep that in mind. We are all under the gun for not just the potential for severe weather, but a good chance that straight line damaging winds are going to be the issue tonight more so than almost anything else. And that includes a large area, not just for us, but all the way back to West Virginia, Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, all the way down even into the Mid-Atlantic. The tornado risk today, it's not off the charts, but the highest area is concentrated. It's a big one across our area as well. So, we're once again going to be watching for that. All right, so let's get in a little bit closer and you can see this is the current time, the current radar. The warnings that we have right now are going to be for Bucks over toward Lehi and North Northampton County as far as we are concerned. If you're in Philadelphia and in the Jersey Shore, this is the time to prepare because while we don't have storms on top of us now, the potential is there and the storms are starting to get themselves together. These may not be severe yet moving across the Capitol region over toward Lancaster, but they're going to get there. So, this is the time now to make sure that if you have anything outside that you need to bring in, anything that's not tied down, go ahead and do it. Uh, go take the dog outside quickly now because you don't want to have those pets outside later on today.

[00:05:58]And also, of course, make sure I don't think anybody has their windows open.

[00:06:02]Hopefully not, but make sure you close them and uh get everything all tied down. Now, let's talk about where we are as far as the radar goes a little closer in. Again, we've got some clouds and a little bit of sunshine peeking through, but the severe thunderstorm that we have in our area is to the north, again, north of Doylesstown there for Bucks, Lehi, and Northampton County. This is the bigger picture. This area here, this heavy rain area, this is likely going to start to move into this area of instability that's on top of us, that unstable air, all of this here, and the front that's driving it will create this line. And you're going to notice these these thunderstorms, these individual cells will start to form into a line within the next couple of hours. And that's going to be the main event for us heading a little bit closer to 6 and 7:00. Again, areas to the north of us, we have some strong to severe showers and thunderstorms that are creating even a few tornado warnings. As you can see, most areas back toward the Pittsburgh area that is starting to clear. So, we've got several hours to go to get this through the area. Again, here's our futurecast. And as of right now, it's really starting to initiate very well, showing us where we have the showers and thunderstorms that are currently strong to severe. Now, we get into the next hour or so, those individual cells we talked about, they get a little bit closer, they start to get a little bit bigger, and by 6 to 7:00, that is knocking on the doorstep for Philadelphia. If you have plans and especially if you know anyone or if you yourself are doing any evening commute late afternoon evening commute if you could get out early maybe leave a little closer to 4:30 5:00 that would be great because if you have to stay late tonight this is what we're going to be looking at between 6:30 7:00 and then all the way through about 9:00 in the city by about 10 10:30 it's the Jersey Shore that is going to be under not just the threat of some severe weather although once we start getting past 9:00 the severe threat starts to lessen. But I do think this becomes more of a flash flood event. So if you're watching from the Jersey Shore, anywhere from Tom's River to LBI, Atlantic City, Margate, Ventner, Ocean City, Sele, Wildwood, Kate May, all of you have the potential for flash flooding. That's what I'm looking at as we head into tonight. Uh more so even than the threat of severe weather once we get into the evening hours. and that severe weather that is likely going to continue all throughout the overnight as well when it comes to flash flooding, especially for the Jersey Shore. So, keep that in mind. Again, a next weather alert for today as we continue to monitor the threat for severe weather within the next few hours. Tomorrow, it's a slow but steady clear and then [sighs] a nice sigh of relief because Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday heading into next week, things are much quieter with temperatures in the low to middle 80s. Thursday and Friday look absolutely spectacular. The weekend at this point looks relatively quiet with mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies. All right, so here's the deal.

[00:08:50]Coming up at four o'clock, meteorologist Grant Gilmore will have a complete update for you. What's happening, a live look at the radar. He'll pinpoint those areas that have the best chance for severe weather if they're not already seeing it. And of course, he's going to let you know what's going on in your neck of the woods. And then at 5:00, we've got chief meteorologist Bill Kelly as well. full team coverage and always updates on our Instagram at CBS [music] Philadelphia and of course CBS Philadelphia.com.

[00:09:15]Stay with us and stay safe.

[00:09:19]15-year-old boy, meantime missing since Sunday, was hit and killed by a freight train last night. It happened at 11:30 on the overhead tracks near where Welsh Road