EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — While they don’t happen that often, severe thunderstorms are always a threat during the summer months.
To be classified as “severe,” a storm must have winds of at least 58 miles per hour or hail that is one inch across or larger. In some cases, a storm can have both.
To put it simply, a severe thunderstorm is one that causes damage.
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Tornadoes tend to grab more headlines, but straight-line winds from severe thunderstorm downdrafts are much more common.
According to the national Storm Events Database, there have been 182 reports of straight-line wind damage in Rhode Island since 2000. During that same time, there have only been five tornadoes.
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