Tornado watch issued for southeast Oklahoma, baseball-size hail possible

Jana Hayes and Jessie Christopher Smith, The Oklahoman
Updated ·2 min read
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Editor's note: For live coverage of severe weather Thursday, follow coverage at The Oklahoman's live blog.

Severe thunderstorms and a chance for tornadoes are forecast for Thursday in parts of south-central and southeast Oklahoma.

Here's everything we know based on reports from the National Weather Service in Norman.

Tornado Watch issued

A tornado watch has been issued for areas with cities mostly south and east of Oklahoma City, including Norman, Duncan, Ardmore, Ada, McAlester, Tulsa and Muskogee.

Forecasters said severe weather and the possibility of tornadoes could develop “most likely” between the hours of noon to 6 p.m. and end around 9 p.m. Thursday.

Baseball-sized hail and damaging winds are major concerns, according to the National Weather Service in Norman.

Meteorologists are warning of a “medium threat” for tornadoes east of Ardmore and Ada, along with multiple storms and localized flooding.

“Persons across south-central and southeast Oklahoma should have a safety plan in place for today,” the weather agency advised.

Where could we see tornadoes in Oklahoma?

The strongest chance for tornadoes is in southeast Oklahoma, just east of Durant, including Atoka, Bryan, Coal and Johnston counties.

The potential for tornadoes in that area is "medium."

Tornado potential gets lower the closer you get to Oklahoma City.

Severe thunderstorms in Oklahoma

Just after 11 a.m., a line of storms formed stretching from Wichita Falls in Texas to Shawnee.

The National Weather Service warned the storms could be produce baseball size hail or larger.

How to prepare for possible tornadoes

If you live an area where tornadoes are in the forecast, here are some tips on preparing before the storm comes:

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Tornado watch issued: Severe thunderstorms expected for SE Oklahoma