Tornado warning issued in Massachusetts amid severe thunderstorm

The warning had lapsed by shortly after 4pm est, though severe thunderstorms are still possible across the state

A tornado warning was issued for part of Massachusetts, coupled with an intense storm that’s expected to bring heavy wind and hail to the state.

The warning was centred around the northern part of the state, around Ashburnham and Fitchburg, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.

As 4.15pm local time, the warning had been taken down from the agency. Most of the state was still under a severe thunderstorm watch as a wave of storms rolled through.

Residents had been warned to seek shelter in a basement and away from windows.

Massachusetts is currently also under a heat advisory as temperatures reach above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) in most of the state. Temperatures in the state are expected to stay high over the weekend.

In Boston, Mayor Michelle Wu has declared heat emergency through Sunday.

Scientists are currently unsure exactly what impact the climate crisis might have on tornadoes in the US, but warmer weather contributed to a spate of twisters that hit the country in December, says the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

In addition, tornadoes may be moving outside their traditional range in the US, into states further east. Historically, the dangerous storms have been concentrated in the central Plains, between Texas and South Dakota.

But while more uncommon, tornadoes have hit the Northeast. In 2011, a tornado popped up in Springfield, Massachusetts – leading to three deaths and hundreds of injuries