Weather service downgrades severe thunderstorm threat

Update

The National Weather Service on Thursday afternoon downgraded the severe storm risk for Southeast Missouri to "slight" from "moderate". A tornado watch remained in effect until 5 p.m.

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The National Weather Service is warning of the potential of severe thunderstorms with damaging winds and hail, and possibly tornadoes today. According to the Paducah, Ky., office's hazardous weather outlook, there's a moderate risk of severe thunderstorms, especially during the afternoon and evening hours. Cooler air will follow the storms, leading to the potential for frost Friday night into Saturday morning.

A tornado watch is also in effect through 5 p.m.

This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of southern Illinois, western Kentucky, southwest Indiana and Southeast Missouri including Cape Girardeau, Bollinger, Mississippi, New Madrid, Scott and Stoddard counties.

A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...INCLUDING THE THREAT OF

DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND TORNADOES..IS IN EFFECT FOR THE

ENTIRE REGION TODAY INTO TONIGHT. THE BEST TIMEFRAME

LOOKS TO BE DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. THIS IS A

POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION SO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS

AND UPDATES CLOSELY. HEAVY RAINS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES WILL LIKEWISE

OCCUR AS THIS SYSTEM MAKES PASSAGE.

AFTER THIS WEATHER SYSTEM PASSES TONIGHT...MUCH COOLER AIR

WILL INFILTRATE THE REGION FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. THIS WILL LEAD

TO THE POTENTIAL FOR FROST FORMATION LATE FRIDAY NIGHT AND EARLY

SATURDAY MORNING AS LOW TEMPERATURES IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 30S

ARE FORECAST WITH CLEARING SKIES AND DIMINISHING WINDS.