The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for central and eastern Virginia until 11 p.m. Monday.

The watch area includes 71 counties and cities in Virginia, as well as parts of Washington, D.C., southern Maryland and northeastern North Carolina. A “watch” differs from a “warning” in that under a watch, conditions are favorable for inclement weather. When a warning is issued, the actual conditions have been observed, and residents in those aeas should seek shelter immediately.

“There is a slight risk for severe weather for today through this evening,” the NWS office in Wakefield said in a statement. “At this time, the primary threats look to be damaging winds, large hail, and heavy rainfall. A few tornadoes are also possible.”

Ominous clouds began hovering over the Tri-City area at midday Monday.

The culprit for the bad-weather predictions is a front extending from the lower Great Lakes to the Mid-Atlantic that will move across the area Monday night into Tuesday morning. The NWS says there is a “slight risk” − about 40 percent − that the front could generate severe thunderstorms with wind gusts and hail.

The threat should not last too long, however. The Tri-City area forecast for Tuesday through the end of the week is clear skies with high temperatures ranging from 86 Tuesday to 73 on Friday.

This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Weather Service says tornadoes are possible for this area Monday night