Strong storms and possibly damaging winds are expected Monday night in Philly region
But the tornado watch has been canceled.
What has been an eventful two months for the behavior of the atmosphere in the Philly region may take a volatile turn Monday, with forecasters warning of the potential for potent storms at night.
In its updated afternoon briefing, the National Weather Service in Mount Holly said “widespread wind damage,” especially around Philadelphia west and southwestward was possible It said that some storms could be “significant,” with wind gusts as high as 75 mph.
Straight-line wind presented the likeliest threat, it said, and localized downpours could lead to flash-flooding, something the region has not experienced much lately as much of region remains under drought conditions.
Multiple rounds of showers and embedded thunderstorms are expected to develop in the evening, along with strong southerly winds. Some storms could be severe.
What’s going on up there?
“This is the season of the clash of air masses,” said Joe Wegman, a meteorologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Weather Prediction Center. “Winter is trying to hold on and summer is gradually taking over.”
Some years, these transitions proceed smoothly; some years they don’t.
“This is a don’t,” Wegman said.
» READ MORE: What to do when a tornado hits
On Monday the Northeast is getting its turn to contend with a potent storm that is affecting a significant portion of the country.
The impacts were evident at Philadelphia International Airport, where about half of the flights were canceled or delayed.
Blizzard warnings were up for parts of the Great Lakes region, but a surge of warmth ahead of the west-to-east moving storm caused temperatures to soar overnight around here, cresting past 60 degrees by daybreak in Philly.
Thunderstorms are possible any time before 11 p.m., the National Weather Service says.
However, the timing and just what areas would be worst-hit remain elusive to predict precisely, said Ray Martin, lead forecaster with the Mount Holly office.
“It’s more hit-and-miss than a winter storm,” he said. “You can really nail it, but some people are going to think ‘nothing really happened at my house.’”
The storms are due to back off late Monday night, followed by a return to winter on Tuesday with temperatures falling to freezing and struggling to get out of the 30s during the day.
Snow flurries are even possible, said Martin.
This story will be updated.