A wind advisory is in effect until 7 pm. Winds will become even stronger during the day Thursday. Gusts from 45 to 55 mph could occur.
Winds and saturated soil could cause trees to blow over. Some power outages could also happen due to downed power lines. Some structural damage may occur.
High profile vehicles will be especially difficult to control. Secure any loose outdoor objects and keep abreast of the latest forecast updates from the National Weather Service.
In addition to the potential for high gradient winds, there is also a risk for severe thunderstorms beginning in southeast Missouri and spreading east across the rest of the area today. The timing for storms today will generally be from 7-10am for southeast Missouri and southwestern Illinois, then from 10am until 4pm across southeastern Illinois and western Kentucky.
Damaging winds and tornadoes will both be possible.
On the Net:
Paducah Weather Service webpage