Tornado watch: Central Indiana under risk of dangerous weather

Much of Central Indiana is bracing for strong winds and possible tornados Friday night into Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

The NWS Friday evening issued a tornado watch effective until 2 a.m. for scores of Indiana counties, including those home to Greater Lafayette, Bloomington, Crawfordsville, Evansville, Indianapolis and Muncie.

Areas of Illinois, Kentucky and Michigan were also in the risk of severe weather.

Southwest winds are expected to reach as high as 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph, according to the watch. Tree limbs could be blown down and power outages may occur.

Residents in Central Indiana are advised to use extra caution when driving and secure outdoor objects.

National meteorologists were tracking dangerous storms moving east from Arkansas, where a "tornado emergency" had been issued mid-afternoon Friday. A "large and destructive tornado" was seen on the ground in the Little Rock area, according to USA Today.

"Significant damage has occurred in Central Arkansas," Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders tweeted. "Praying for all those who were and remain in the path of this storm. Arkansans must continue to stay weather aware as storms are continuing to move through."

A tornado emergency defines a severe threat to human life or catastrophic damage is imminent.

The NWS forecasted a line of severe thunderstorms to move through central Indiana Friday evening between 9 p.m. and midnight. The storms could include damaging winds to 75 mph and the possibility of brief tornadoes

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Tornado watch: Central Indiana under risk of dangerous weather