ILLINOIS (NWS) — The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for portions of southern Illinois, southwest Indiana, western Kentucky, and southeast Missouri.

There is a slight risk of severe thunderstorms today, mainly this morning over southeast Missouri and southwest Illinois, and then from around midday through the early to mid afternoon farther east.

Though the main thunderstorm hazard is expected to be with damaging wind gusts, a brief tornado of two cannot be ruled out. A Flood Watch continues for the entire area through this evening. Additional rainfall amounts of an inch or so are still expected, with locally higher amounts possible.

A drastic change to very cold arctic air will take place later today and tonight. Wind chill readings by late tonight will be in the single digits and teens.