Paducah, KY – The National Weather Service has expanded Severe Thunderstorm Watch 508 to include additional counties in southeast Missouri, southern Illinois, and western Kentucky, where severe thunderstorms remain possible until 9 p.m. CDT Tuesday.
According to the National Weather Service in Paducah, the expanded watch now includes 10 counties in southeast Missouri, two counties in southern Illinois, and Fulton County in western Kentucky. A severe thunderstorm watch means conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms capable of producing damaging weather.
The newly added Missouri counties are Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Mississippi, New Madrid, Ripley, Scott, Stoddard, and Wayne. In Illinois, the expansion includes Alexander and Union counties, while Fulton County has been added in Kentucky.
Communities included in the expanded watch area include Cape Girardeau, Poplar Bluff, Sikeston, Cairo, Hickman, Jackson, Charleston, Bloomfield, Doniphan, Jonesboro, Marble Hill, New Madrid, Piedmont, and Van Buren.
Forecasters warn that thunderstorms developing this afternoon and evening could produce damaging wind gusts, large hail, frequent cloud-to-ground lightning, and torrential rainfall, with isolated flash flooding possible where heavy rain persists. Outdoor activities and travel may become hazardous as storms move through the region.
Residents are encouraged to monitor local forecasts and have multiple ways to receive weather warnings. If a severe thunderstorm warning is issued, move indoors immediately and stay away from windows until the storm passes.
The National Weather Service will continue monitoring the evolving weather situation and issue additional warnings if storms intensify.
