The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for western portions of the ABC 27 viewing area.

The watch is in effect until 2 p.m. eastern. The watch includes the following counties:

Franklin Liberty Wakulla Calhoun Gulf Holmes Jackson Washington

Please have multiple ways to get alerts for warnings as the line of storms moves through. Power outages are also possible, so make sure all electronic devices are charged.

WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW TO UNDERSTAND WHAT A WATCH MEANS:

Knowing the difference: Tornado warning v.s. tornado watch

Tornado watches are usually issued in advance of the expected arrival of severe storms, typically getting a lead time of hours before the event. The watch usually spans several counties and can stretch across neighboring states.

A watch means that environmental conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes.

What you need to do under a watch is stay weather-aware, make sure you have a plan in place and you know where your safe place is. That’s going to be the lowest, smallest most interior room of your house as possible, typically a closet or a bathroom, putting as many walls between you and the outside as possible.

If you’re issued a tornado warning then it’s time to go to your safe place. That means a tornado is imminent within a specific area (usually parts of a county or counties) and it’s been spotted by a trained storm spotter or detected by rotation on radar.

Lead time for rotation for tornado warnings is minutes.