The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch is in effect until 5 p.m. CST this afternoon for 17 counties in Middle Tennessee, including Coffee County. 

 

The following areas under this watch includes: Bedford County, Cannon County, Coffee County, Cumberland County, Dekalb County, Giles County, Grundy County, Lawrence County, Marshall County, Maury County, Putnam, Rutherford County, Smith County, Van Buren County, Warren County, White County and Wilson County.

 

Per the National Weather Service, the watch also includes the cities of Altamont, Carthage, Coalmont, Columbia, Cookeville, Cookeville, Crossville, Gordonsville, La Vergne, Lawrenceburg, Lebanon, Lewisburg, Manchester, McMinnville, Mount Juliet, Murfreesboro, Palmer, Pulaski, Shelbyville, Smithville, Smyrna, South Carthage, Sparta, Spencer, Tullahoma and Woodbury. 

 

A tornado watch is when conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes.