The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a tornado watch for Columbia, Jefferson City, Ashland and much of the 939 the Eagle mid-Missouri listening area.
The tornado watch goes until 11 pm today (Friday).
The NWS says tornadoes, tennis ball sized hail and wind gusts up to 75 miles per hour are possible. Storms formed earlier Friday afternoon in western Missouri and television station KMBC says there are reports of heavy rain and flooding in the Kansas City area, where flash flood warnings are in effect.
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe has declared a state of emergency that enables state agencies to coordinate directly with local jurisdictions to expedite assistance. The NWS expects storms to exit mid-Missouri by 11 tonight.