A tornado watch has been issued for all of our southern Georgia service area in anticipation of active and severe storms arriving later today.

The watch is in effect until 9 p.m.

Counties included in the watch are Decatur, Grady, Miller, Mitchell, Baker, Thomas, Brooks, Lowndes, Clinch, Echols, Colquitt, Cook, Berrien, and Lanier, among others.

A complex of strong and severe thunderstorms will be capable of triggering quick-forming tornadoes as the cluster of storms moves southeast into many of these counties late today and this evening.

A broader risk of damaging straight-line wind gusts is also contained within these storms.

Additional storms are forecast for early Friday morning, which are forecast to have an effect on more of the state line and northern Florida parts of our region.