Winds slam western Connecticut, possible Kent tornado investigated

Winds estimated as high as 75 mph pummeled the western half of Connecticut Wednesday afternoon along with rain, leaving thousands without power into the evening hours.

Temperatures were expected to drop below freezing overnight as a cold front propelling the storms pushed into the state from the west.

Most of western Connecticut was under a severe thunderstorm warning around 3 p.m. A tornado warning was briefly issued for part of Litchfield County around that time, but later expired.

In Kent, radar showed winds hitting up to 75 mph at higher elevations, according to Chief Meteorologist Bill Jacquemin of the Connecticut Weather Center.

WFSB TV reported a possible tornado was seen around 3 p.m. in Kent. Weather officials have not yet confirmed a tornado in the area.

Jacquemin said so far he wasn’t aware if anyone had done a damage assessment in Kent to see if any of the damage is in a “spiral pattern,” which helps determine if a tornado did touch down. However, he said radar did show winds in a “rotating” pattern.

By around 4:15 p.m. that afternoon, more than 5,000 Eversource customers were reported to be without power, according to the utility company. By around 8 p.m., that number had declined to a little more than 3,500.

In Kent, upward of 1,600 Eversource customers lost power — more than 76 percent of the customers served by Eversource. Residents reported disruptions in internet service as well as power outages. Some shared photos and videos of pea-sized hail falling around town. Thunder, lightning and hail were reported in Winsted on Wednesday afternoon.

By the evening, some reported their power had come back on, with outages in Kent dropping to just below 1,300, according to Eversource.

United Illuminating, which serves customers along a section of lower Fairfield County into New Haven County, reported one outage in Fairfield a little before 4 p.m. By the evening, no outages were reported by UI.

Earlier in the day, spokesmen for the two utility companies said they were prepared for the storm.

“We’re definitely keeping an eye on it,” said Ed Crowder, a spokesman for United Illuminating.

Frank Poirot, a spokesman for Eversource Energy, said the company will monitor the weather throughout the afternoon and evening.

“While the weather we’re expecting in Connecticut doesn’t appear to be severe, we always have crews working and they’re prepared to respond to any damage or outages caused by weather,” Poirot said.

A freeze warning is in effect from 2 a.m. to 9 a.m. Thursday with sub-freezing temperatures around 30 degrees expected in northern Fairfield and northern New Haven counties, the weather service said.

“Freeze conditions will keep crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing,” the warning said.

Cold temperatures and a wind chill are in the forecast for early Thursday, with a high in the upper 40s and wind gusts up to 31 mph. Overnight into Friday, lows are expected to be in the 30s and winds up to 15 mph.

Sunny skies are in the forecast for Friday. Temperatures will hover in the 60s during the day and drop to the low 40s by night.

Saturday brings more sun with a high in the mid-60s, dropping to the high 40s by night. Rain showers will come early Sunday and taper off in the afternoon with temperatures in the mid-50s, dropping to the low 40s by night.