Tornado Watch Issued for Philadelphia & Pennsylvania Suburbs

A tornado watch has been issued for the City of Philadelphia and the immediate suburbs around the city for Friday evening.

Tornado Watch Issued Ahead of Severe Weather

The watch was issued ahead of a round of possibly severe weather that is expected to roll through the area later tonight.

The watch was issued for most of the Philadelphia region except for Berks, Lehigh and Northampton counties in Pennsylvania.

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In New Jersey, meanwhile, the watch was issued for much of South and Central NJ. In fact, all counties south of Mercer and Monmouth Counties were included.

What Is Tonight's Forecast?

Storms are expected to roll into the area after 8 p.m. this evening, the National Weather Service warns.

A couple of tornadoes are possible within the watch area, they warn.

Additionally, the storms may contain isolated hail up to ping pong size with scattered wind gusts up to 65 MPH possible, they say.

The tornado watch is in effect until 12:00 am on Saturday, May 31.

What Is a Tornado Watch?

A tornado watch is issued when tornadoes are possible. It does not mean that one is imminent or has been spotted in the area.

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If the National Weather service suspects a tornado is in the area they will issue a Tornado Warning. That's when you should seek immediate shelter.

Until then it's smart to stay weather aware this evening and watch for any changing conditions.

You should have a safety plan in place and pay attention to any updates or warnings from the National Weather Service.