Tornado watch issued ahead of afternoon storms in Minnesota
Much of the west of the state is in the watch area.
A tornado watch has been issued for western Minnesota and will remain in effect until 7 p.m.
A storm system moving into the state is expected to have the potential to generate a few tornadoes.
Other risks include isolated hail up to a ping pong ball in size, as well as scattered gusts of winds of up to 65 mph.
The vast watch area stretches from Grand Forks in the northwest of the state to just north of Marshall in the southwest.
While it remains to be seen whether tornadoes appear, the NWS in its forecast discussion says that "the main threat" will be "damaging wind."
