Tornado Watch in Place for Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas

Tornado watches are in place for parts of Missouri, Illinois and Arkansas, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

Tornado watches mean that conditions are favorable for tornadoes to develop, and urges those in the area to be on alert for a warning to be issued.

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In Missouri, the watches are active in Butler, Perry, Wayne, Ripley, Bollinger and Carter Counties.

In Illinois, the watches are active in several counties, including Sangamon, Peoria, McLean and Tazewell. These are active until 8 a.m. CDT Tuesday.

There are also tornado watches active in parts of Arkansas, in place until 7 a.m. CDT.

An interactive map shows where tornado shelters can be found in different states if shelter is needed to be taken.

Several tornado warnings, which are more serious, had been issued in the early hours of Tuesday for parts of Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri, but expired by 5 a.m. CDT.

Storm Missouri
A thunderstorm moves into the town of Hermann on August 26, 2023, in Missouri. Several tornado watches are in place across the central U.S. on Tuesday. George Rose/Getty Images

The NWS said that at least 15 tornadoes were reported to have struck parts of the central U.S. on Monday, seven of which hit Oklahoma.

This included a reportedly "mile-wide" tornado that ripped through parts of the state, causing extensive damage.

On Monday night, the NWS declared a rare tornado emergency, its most extreme alert, as one struck Barnsdall, a city with a population of around 1,000 people.

At least one person has died in Barnsdall and multiple injuries have been reported, Osage County Sheriff Eddie Virden told local outlet FOX 23.

He said that there was "a lot of damage" between Bartlesville and Barnsdall, with several houses torn apart. Photos shared on social media showed neighborhoods scattered with debris and fallen trees.

A nursing home in Barnsdall was also struck, with residents forced to relocate following a gas leak.

"Please pray for us," the Barnsdall Nursing Home wrote on social media.

The tornado that struck Barnsdall essentially took "the same path" as one that struck the city earlier this month, Virden said.

The previous tornadoes, which hit Oklahoma in late April, left at least four people dead and dozens injured.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center said that until Wednesday, up to 70 million people are at some risk of severe weather.

The central U.S., often referred to as "Tornado Alley," is particularly prone to twisters due to a variety of factors, especially its flat terrain, where warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico meets cooler, drier air from the north and creates instability.

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