Swath of New England placed under tornado watch as region faces severe storms

Parts of New England were placed under tornado watches and warnings Sunday afternoon as the region faces severe storms, forecasters said.

The National Weather Service put a broad swath of the region under a warning that lasts until 8 p.m. ET and issued warnings for multiple counties in Vermont and New York. The watch warning stated that winds in the covered area could reach up to 70 miles per hour and that hail could reach 1.5 inches in diameter

The weather service also issued a Special Weather Statement advising that Vermont could be hit with severe thunderstorms.

"Lightning can strike out to 10 miles from the parent thunderstorm. If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning," the statement said.

The storms are the latest in a week of wild weather that saw much of the country battered by heat, putting over 100 million people under heat advisories and warnings and flooding in Iowa and South Dakota.

The Northeast may see some relief this week as AccuWeather meteorologists say temperatures will recede from record levels but highs will still reach the 90s.

Tornado watches vs. warnings

A tornado watch is an alert issued by the National Weather Service, meaning tornadoes are possible in and near the "watch" area.

If a tornado watch is issued in your area, the weather service says to be prepared and be ready to act quickly if the next level, a warning, is issued or if you suspect a tornado is approaching.

A tornado warning is the more serious and urgent of the two terms and means a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. It also means there is imminent danger to life and property and affected residents should take immediate action, according to the National Weather Service.

When you become aware of a tornado warning, you should move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building and avoid windows. If you're in a mobile home or vehicle, find sturdy shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.