The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for the north country until 9 p.m. tonight.

The weather service said severe thunderstorms will develop across Northern New Year early this afternoon, and these thunderstorms will be capable of producing hail up to 2 inches in diameter and damaging thunderstorm wind gusts up to 60 mph or more.

There will also be the potential for brief, short lived tornadoes, but the National Weather Service said those events are more likely in central Vermont.

The thunderstorms will contain dangerous cloud to ground lightning and localized heavy rainfalls in short period of time, with rainfall amounts of one to two inches possible, according to the National Weather Service.

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