BERLIN, Conn. (AP) -- Connecticut Light & Power is reporting that more than 5,600 customers are without power after storms raked the state.

The outage total of 5,630 early Sunday evening is down from a high of more than 11,000.

The outages represent less than 1 percent of customers of the Northeast Utilities subsidiary. But initially, the number climbed sharply in just a few hours Sunday afternoon.

The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for most of Connecticut, Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.