Tornado watch in effect for Southeast Missouri, tornado outbreak expected

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch through 9 p.m. for all of Southeast Missouri, Southern Illinois and westhern Kentucky.

The watch is designated as a Particularly Dangerous Situation as numerous tornadoes are expected. High wind gusts, up to 70 mph, and very large hail, up to three inches in diameter, are also possible.

Within the watch area, the weather service predicts a 95 percent chance of at least two or more tornadoes, with an 80 percent chance of at least one of these tornadoes becoming strong enough to reach a rating of EF-2 or higher.

Multiple rounds of severe thunderstorms are possible throughout the afternoon and evening. The Storm Prediction Center has placed the region under a "high risk" of severe weather, the first time that Cape Girardeau has been under this designation since 2008.