Severe weather likely Tuesday

This photo shows the thunderstorm forecast for TODAY, Tuesday, May 21 — severe is in red shading. (Photo from www.Weather.com)

Meteorologists are predicting a likely severe weather potential for our region this afternoon and this evening.

According to the www.Weather.com, we have an 80% chance of strong thunderstorms today and tonight.  Paris and other areas of Northeast Texas are under a Tornado Watch until 7pm and many communities in the path of this storm are already taking precautionary measures.

These storms are a part of the system that many meteorologists have considered to be a severe thunderstorm and tornado outbreak.  This storm system dropped tornadoes in at least five states starting on Sunday, May 19, and has led to the devastation of several Oklahoma communities with Moore, Oklahoma taking the worst hit.  (Click the link to track the severe weather on www.weather.com as it happens now.)

There is a moderate potential for tornadoes today with some of these storms.  Severe thunderstorms likely to produce damaging winds, hail, lightning, heavy rains and some tornadoes are likely this afternoon and evening.  The exact timing is difficult to predict at this moment, but you will be updated as a more precise forecast is available.

Severe storms are imminent today and this evening.  Be alert and take precautions.

To stay safe, many schools in our region have called to have parents pick their children up, as this afternoon and evening looks to be when the severity will approach our area.

Please sign up to the eParis Extra! Text Alert System, which will alert you at any time a severe weather alert is cast for our area.  Just send your cell phone number to josh@eparistexas.com.  (We will not disclose your number to anyone and will not use it for any other reason than to send weather alerts.)

It is safe to say that it will storm — with the high likelihood of severe storms — sometime possibly this afternoon and/or evening.  Stay alert and be prepared to take shelter.  Check the Extra! for any weather updates as they are made available.