A tornado watch was issued for Lancaster County Wednesday afternoon with heavy rain and gusty winds predicted for most of central Pennsylvania, according to the National Weather Service.
The tornado watch was issued for more than half of the county's in the state and is in effect from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., NWS said. The watch includes York, Dauphin, Cumberland, Berks, Cumberland, Lebanon and Chester counties.
A flash flood watch and a hazardous weather outlook were also issued for Lancaster County.
A tornado watch means that there is a potential chance of a tornado, opposed to a tornado warning, which means that a tornado has been spotted or is currently happening in the area, according to NWS.
Between one and three inches of rain is expected, NWS meteorologist David Martin told LNP on Tuesday night. Heavier rains are likelier to fall well north of the county, near Scranton.
Wind gusts as high as 22 mph are expected, NWS said.
Showers and thunderstorms are anticipated after 2 p.m., wrapping up before midnight, according to NWS.
