Orange and Chatham counties, as well as much of central and eastern North Carolina, are under a tornado watch on Sunday.

The National Weather Service and its Storm Prediction Center issued the tornado watch just before 1:30 p.m., saying the region would be under those conditions until 8 p.m. It comes on a day where heavy winds, rain, and some thunderstorms are forecasted for the area.

A tornado watch does not meant a tornado has been spotted or is imminent, like a tornado warning. Instead, a tornado watch alerts residents to the weather conditions being right and possible for the formation of tornadoes. The National Weather Service suggests people check any emergency supplies and discuss any emergency plans with those nearby. If a tornado warning occurs — like some have on Sunday east of Orange and Chatham counties — people are urged to move to a low floor in a sturdy building, stay in an interior room, and to avoid windows.

The Orange County Alerts system, as well as Alert Carolina for the UNC community, sent out their own respective messages to residents to make people aware of the tornado watch.

More information on the differences between tornado watches and tornado warnings, as well as safety tips, can be found on the National Weather Service website.

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