The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch until seven Thursday night.
Thunderstorms are developing along a line from southwest Missouri into central Illinois. These storms will move east-southeastward through the afternoon, posing a risk of large hail and damaging winds. The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 60 statute miles north and south of a line from 20 miles south of Joplin MO to 35 miles east of Mattoon IL.
Persons in the watch area should be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce tornadoes.
The storms could possibly produce a tornado or two, have damaging winds up to 70 miles per hour, and have scattered large hail.
