This is a developing story. More updates will be provided over the next several hours.
Since late Sunday morning, the National Weather Service has been predicting a widespread outbreak of severe weather, which is expected to impact the area from early Monday evening to Tuesday.
A Tornado Watch, issued around 2:45 PM by the National Weather Service office in Paducah, KY, extended the threat of tornadic storms until 11 PM Monday, and now includes most of the quad-state area.
Around 1 PM on Monday, Justin Gibbs, Lead Forecaster with the National Weather Service in Paducah, Kentucky, gave an update on the increased severe weather risk in the Southeast Missouri, Southern Illinois, and Western Kentucky region.
The risk has increased in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois since the first forecast. An area stretching from as far north as the St. Louis metro area and Mid-Missouri to as far south as the Missouri-Arkansas border.
The main impact with tornadoes, some strong, very large hail in excess of 2 inches in diameter, and damaging winds is still expected to move towards the east through the entire region this evening into the overnight hours, from around 7 PM to 2 AM.
In addition, there is some potential for severe storms to develop this afternoon. Any storms on Monday afternoon could also produce large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes.
