After weeklong rainy weather projections, Athens County has been placed on a Tornado Watch today that will last well into the evening.
A tornado watch means conditions for tornados and severe thunderstorms in the watch area are favorable, but not certain. The watch has been in effect as of 1:40 p.m. according to a post Athens County Sheriff Pat Kelly made on Facebook. The watch will expire at 9 p.m.
The National Weather Service projects hail up to one inch in diameter, with thunderstorm wind gusts up to 70 mph, with dangerous lightning are possible in these areas.
During the afternoon hours, multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms containing heavy rain will move across the Athens area, according to Ohio University’s Scalia Laboratory for Atmospheric Analysis. The laboratory predicts the worst of the weather will occur between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.
The laboratory also predicts thunderstorms over the weekend.
