Through 2 am...showers and thunderstorms will move southeast across portions of southern Illinois...southeast Missouri and The Purchase area of Kentucky. The storms are not as strong as earlier this evening...but some may still produce brief torrential rains and gusty winds. Hourly rainfall amounts will range from a few hundredths of an inch...up to as much as one inch around the thunderstorms. Some communities that may be affected over the next couple of hours include Poplar Bluff...Dexter and Cape Girardeau Missouri. And in Illinois...the Rend Lake area as well as Cairo and Metropolis. And in Kentucky...Paducah...Clinton and Mayfield.
Showers and thunderstorms likely. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Lows in the lower 70s. South winds 5 mph late in the evening becoming calm after midnight. Chance of precipitation 70 percent.
Saturday
Partly sunny with a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs around 90. Northwest winds 5 mph.
There are currently no warnings or advisories for this location.
Public Information Statement
Statement as of 6:35 PM CDT on July 25, 2008
... Safety rules for severe thunderstorms - for media to broadcast...
a Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued by the National Weather Service for the portions of southeast Missouri... far southwest Illinois and far western Kentucky. The following safety tips are being provided in hope that the broadcast media will frequently broadcast these messages while the watch affects their area.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. If you are in the watch area... keep up to date of the latest weather information. These storms can develop rapidly so there may be occasions when advance warning is not possible.
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning means a severe thunderstorm has been observed or indicated by radar. If you are in the path or near the storm... take immediate actions to protect life and property. Follow these safety rules:
1) in open country... you should seek shelter and avoid trees which can be targets for lightning. If there is no shelter... go to a ditch or culvert but beware of rising water which can cause flooding.
2) when indoors... stay away from outside walls and windows and go to an interior room on the lowest level. Avoid using electrical appliances while the storm is nearby.
3) in Mobile homes... you should leave and seek nearby safe shelter.
4) if swimming or on a boat... you should get to shore as quickly as possible and find shelter.
A thunderstorm is considered severe when it contains 3/4 inch or larger diameter size hail and/or wind gusts of 58 miles an hour or greater. A severe thunderstorm also produces deadly lightning and very heavy rain which can lead to flash flooding.
Remember... with any severe thunderstorm there is always the possibility of tornadoes.
