Severe thunderstorm watch includes NE Twin Cities area until 5 p.m.

A severe thunderstorm watch issued Thursday includes the northeastern portion of the Twin Cities metro area until 5 p.m.

Here are details of the severe thunderstorm watch:

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 205 NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 1220 PM CDT Thu May 12 2022 The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of Eastern Minnesota Northwest Wisconsin Lake Superior * Effective this Thursday afternoon from 1220 PM until 500 PM CDT. * Primary threats include... Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2 inches in diameter possible Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible A tornado or two possible SUMMARY...A cluster of storms will continue east-northeastward near a warm front, with the air mass continuing to quickly destabilize across northern Wisconsin. Isolated severe hail and locally damaging winds are the primary concerns. The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 45 statute miles north and south of a line from 140 miles west southwest of Kennedy WI to 35 miles south of Ironwood MI. For a complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU5). PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... REMEMBER...A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce tornadoes. && AVIATION...A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to 2 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 550. Mean storm motion vector 26030.

Some strong-to-severe thunderstorms were moving through central Minnesota at midday Thursday and spreading to the east and northeast. A few thunderstorms could clip the north and northeastern part of the Twin Cities metro area Thursday afternoon.

You can hear updated weather information for Minnesota and western Wisconsin on the Minnesota Public Radio News network, and you can see updated weather info on the MPR News live weather blog.

This large hail fell west of St. Joseph in central Minnesota late Thursday morning:

Thunderstorm activity is expected to expand in coverage later Thursday afternoon and evening. The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center shows a moderate risk of severe weather for much of western Minnesota, with an enhanced risk of severe weather in eastern Minnesota:

Moderate risk means that widespread severe weather is possible, while enhanced risk means that numerous severe storms are possible:

Make sure that you have a way to receive weather warnings Thursday.