Tornado watch issued for western Oklahoma

The weather service has issued a tornado watch until 1 a.m. for seven western Oklahoma counties: Beaver, Ellis, Harper, Roger Mills, Texas, Woods and Woodward.

Tornado watches for eastern Oklahoma were allowed to expire early.

Thunderstorms will gradually move across the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles and into western and northwestern Oklahoma this evening, according to the weather service.

The area most at risk for severe storms is west of a line that extends from Medford in Grant County to Weatherford in Custer County and to Altus in Jackson County, according to the weather service.

The storms are most likely to occur before 2 a.m. Up to golf ball-sized hail and winds of up to 70 mph are possible with any storms that develop, according to the weather service.

Oklahoma City-area forecast

Tonight: Partly cloudy, low around 72. South winds 16 to 21 mph, gusting to 24 mph. Twenty percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1 a.m.

Memorial Day: Mostly sunny, high near 90. South winds 16 to 21 mph, gusting to 24 mph.

Oklahoma statewide forecast

Tonight: Partly cloudy, lows in the low to mid 70s. Moderate southerly winds. Slight chance of thunderstorms.

Memorial Day: Sunny to partly cloudy. Highs in the low to mid 90s with the heat index approaching 100 in some areas. Moderate southerly winds. Slight chance of afternoon thunderstorms in some areas.