Monmouth County Under Tornado Watch Until 10 p.m.

The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Watch until 10 p.m. Thursday night for Monmouth County and surrounding areas.

As of 2 p.m., the NWS Storm Prediction Center out of Norman, Oklahoma is calling for a possible tornado for 16 New Jersey counties, including Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Morris, Ocean, Salem, Somerset, Sussex and Warren.

There is a potential for strong thunderstorms with heavy winds to hit the area, likely later this afternoon. Gusty winds and frequent lightning are expected, with winds between 6 and 8 miles an hour in Middlesex County, and 9 miles an hour in Mercer County. 

The Tornado Watch comes amidst a particularly wet month in New Jersey. As of June 19, New Jersey was half an inch of rainfall away from setting the state record for June. The wettest June on record was in 2003, when 8.61 inches fell on the state.

Strong storms are in the forecast for late this afternoon and tonight. Along with this line of storms is a chance for tornadoes. Please use extreme caution during these storms as they may include heavy rainfall, hail and damaging winds. If a tornado is spotted, move indoors, away from windows. 

A weather watch indicates the potential for severe or damaging weather conditions.