A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for parts of Maine and New Hampshire until 6 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/8hl8F74PUk “The heat and humidity are setting the stage for some active weather,” Graf wrote in her latest weather blog. “These storms could bring damaging winds, hail, heavy downpours, and frequent lightning.”

At 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm watch in effect until 10 p.m. for Hunterdon, Middlesex, Morris, Somerset, Sussex and Warren counties.