The National Weather Service has issued tornado warnings in most of Massachusetts, parts of Vermont, and southern New Hampshire through Sunday evening.

NWS meteorologist Bill Leathamsaid the tornado watch indicates a potential for “strong, severe thunderstorms” and people should “take action and take shelter” once those warnings are issued.

The stronger storms can feature strong wind gusts and even powerful hail, Leatham said, urging New Englanders to be mindful of any outdoor plans they may have throughout the rest of the day. Leatham said it is too early to indicate whether or not the region will see increased storm warnings throughout the remainder of the summer.

The NWS Boston account on X, formerly Twitter said in a post that Boston and Suffolk County are not included on the current watch.

“There is a risk of storms late this afternoon/evening and it isn’t out of the question they could be strong/severe,” the NWS post said. “Have a way to receive weather info, especially if you’ve got outdoor plans today.”

Leatham said the southern New England region is nearing the peak of its severe weather season. The area’s last tornado watch was approximately a year ago, he said.