Paducah, KY – A tornado watch has been issued for parts of western Kentucky as severe storms move through the region Wednesday afternoon and evening.
According to the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, Tornado Watch 98 is in effect until 12:00 a.m. CDT Thursday for 22 counties in western Kentucky. The watch was issued at 2:50 p.m. CDT Wednesday, and includes areas along the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, as well as several inland counties.
Counties under the watch include Ballard, Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle, Christian, Crittenden, Daviess, Fulton, Graves, Henderson, Hickman, Hopkins, Livingston, Lyon, Marshall, McCracken, McLean, Muhlenberg, Todd, Trigg, Union, and Webster.
Residents in these counties are urged to stay alert through the evening and have multiple ways to receive weather warnings. Tornado watches indicate that conditions are favorable for tornadoes and other severe weather events such as large hail and damaging wind gusts.
The primary threats with this system include isolated tornadoes, wind gusts exceeding 60 mph, and hail up to one inch in diameter. Strong upper-level dynamics and atmospheric instability are fueling the potential for rapidly developing storms across the region.
Local emergency management officials recommend seeking shelter immediately if a warning is issued and avoiding travel during periods of severe weather.
Stay tuned to local broadcasters, NOAA Weather Radio, or trusted online sources for up-to-the-minute alerts and information as storms continue to develop across western Kentucky into the night.
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