Decatur County is hunkering down Saturday as local emergency officials warn that a severe thunderstorm watch is in effect through 8 p.m. Residents are being urged to keep a close eye on the sky, tie down anything that could take flight in strong winds, and be ready to move quickly to an interior shelter if conditions deteriorate and severe warnings are issued.
Where the watch applies
In a social media post, Decatur County Emergency Management highlighted nearby communities such as Cairo, Paducah, Poplar Bluff, Cape Girardeau, and Sikeston as sitting inside the broader watch area. The watch box stretches across parts of the Mississippi Valley into southeastern Missouri and western Kentucky, with adjoining counties and communities also under various alerts this evening.
According to the National Weather Service, multiple watches and warnings were active across the Mississippi Valley tonight.
How officials alerted residents
Decatur County Emergency Management said it pushed out the watch notification by email and SMS, and pointed residents to its social channels for ongoing updates. The agency's Facebook post spelled out the local timing of the watch and reminded people to track changing weather conditions instead of being caught off guard.
As posted by Decatur County Emergency Management, the county is relying on those channels for immediate notices while storms threaten.
What to do during the watch
Severe thunderstorms can unleash damaging straight-line winds, frequent lightning, and hail. If a severe thunderstorm warning is issued, you should move indoors to a small interior room or basement and stay away from windows. When it is safe, secure loose outdoor objects that could become projectiles, and do not drive through flooded roadways, no matter how shallow they look.
These steps are recommended by the National Weather Service.
Where to get updates
Residents are encouraged to keep following the county's emergency page and social feeds for local notices and to sign up for any county alert system if they have not already. For county-wide information, see Decatur County and the county's Facebook page for rolling updates and notifications as the watch period continues.
