Tornado watch alerts issued across Wisconsin including Milwaukee

A tornado watch has been issued for Milwaukee and much of southern Wisconsin as severe weather is expected to move across the region on April 14.

According to the National Weather Service, the alert was issued at around 2:30 PM and remains in effect until 10:00 PM.

It covers parts of southern Wisconsin, northern Illinois and central to eastern Iowa.

Meteorologist Kevin Wagner said the conditions are unusual for this time of year following recent warm weather.

"Things are really just kind of coming together with it," Wagner said.

The storm system has already produced a tornado in Iowa and is moving east into Wisconsin. It is expected to reach Milwaukee around 6:00 PM with severe conditions possibly lasting until midnight.

As the system develops, it may form a single line of storms, increasing the risk of damaging winds.

National Weather Service meteorologist J.J. Wood urged residents to stay alert.

"Today is one of those days you really want to pay attention to the forecast and stay weather-aware," Wood said.

The watch follows severe weather on April 13, which included a confirmed tornado in Taylor County and strong winds that caused damage in Milwaukee.