70 MPH Winds and Torrential Downpours Tonight Possible (UPDATED)

The National Weather Service in Binghamton has raised the severe thunderstorm alert up from a watch to a warning. CLICK HERE for the latest

POTENTIAL FOR A MAJOR SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING... ... SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT...

UNUSUALLY STRONG WINDS COMBINED WITH A WARM AND HUMID AIR MASS IS SETTING THE STAGE FOR A POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK FOR CENTRAL NEW YORK AND NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA.

A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL PUSH EAST THIS AFTERNOON AND TRIGGER A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS THAT WILL FORM OVER THE EASTERN OHIO VALLEY AND EASTERN GREAT LAKES REGION EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE INTENSE WINDS THAT COULD CAUSE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE LOCALLY AS IT RACES ACROSS CENTRAL NEW YORK AND NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING. THERE IS ALSO A THREAT FOR AN ISOLATED TORNADO.

BEST ESTIMATES FOR TIMING OF THE LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS FROM SYRACUSE AND ITHACA TO CORTLAND... NORWICH... BINGHAMTON BETWEEN 5 AND 7 PM... AND FROM UTICA AND COOPERSTOWN TO DELHI.... AREAS BETWEEN 6 PM AND 8 PM.

WINDS COULD EXCEED 70 MPH LOCALLY AND CAUSE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE FROM THUNDERSTORMS. THERE WILL ALSO BE FREQUENT LIGHTNING... BRIEF BUT INTENSE RAINFALL AND EVEN A CHANCE FOR AN ISOLATED TORNADO.