Western Massachusetts dodges weather bullet; intense storm forecast for region hits Connecticut, New York instead

While parts of Connecticut and New York were hit hard, Western Massachusetts saw some dark and threatening clouds and some rain but not much else.

AP Photo/The Leader, Eric WenselLarge evergreen trees knocked down by damaging winds during a thunderstorm lie in front of a home in Elmira, N.Y. Thursday, July 26, 2012. Buildings were damaged, power lines and trees toppled, and hospitals placed on disaster status after a possible tornado hit the city of Elmira Thursday afternoon.

This is an update of a story posted a 4:56 p.m. Thursday

SPRINGFIELD - A storm that was forecast Thursday to steamroll over Western Massachusetts, bringing lighting, heavy winds and the possibility of flooding, fizzled out instead.

While parts of Connecticut and New York were hit hard, Western Massachusetts saw some dark and threatening clouds and some rain but not much else. Connecticut Light and Power was reporting some 12,000 customers without power, mostly in the southwestern corner of the state.

Earlier in the day the National Weather Service declared a tornado watch for the Berkshires and a severe thunderstorm watch for much of Western Massachusetts earlier in the day, but each was lifted by 8 p.m.

The region remains under a flood watch through Friday morning with the conditions right for sudden downpours.

For much of the day, the forecast called for severe thunderstorms, hail, heavy
rains, and even the possibly of a type of intense windstorm known as a derecho. A derecho is a storm with winds of 58 mph that leaves a swath of damage at least 240 miles long.

In anticipation of the storm, several events were canceled throughout the area and the region was on alert.

Earlier in the day, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno was briefed by officials with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency about the storm. He issued a warning for residents to brace for severe weather.

Springfield Technical Community College called off its evening classes, and the city of Springfield Parks Department called off all evening sports on city fields.

All meetings in Springfield City Hall were called off and the building closed at 4:30 p.m.

Also the Stearns Square Summertime Concert, a Thursday night tradition that attracts thousands each week was moved inside to City Stage, a venue that seats just 400.

In Holyoke, the Blue Sox baseball game scheduled for this evening has been canceled and rescheduled for Saturday.