Tornado Watch Up For Southern New England

The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch Friday afternoon for parts of eastern Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island as thunderstorms moved across the region from the southwest. Hartford and Tolland Counties in Connecticut were placed under a more serious tornado warning.

The watch is in effect until 9 p.m. The storms also have heavy rainfall and a flash flood warning was issued for New Haven and Middlesex counties in Connecticut after heavy rain caused some street flooding.

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency warned residents to be cautious.

"If a Watch elevates to a Tornado WARNING, get inside, away from windows - lowest central location in your home - a tornado has been spotted." MEMA posted on its Twitter feed.

Severe thunderstorm warnings were issued for parts of Worcester and Hampden counties in Massachusetts, central Connecticut, and for Newport and Washington counties in southern Rhode Island.

Special marine warnings were issued for coastal waters off Connecticut, Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.