Numerous coastal Georgia counties are under a tornado watch Monday until 6 p.m., according to an alert from the Chatham Emergency Management Agency.

Local counties under the watch include Bryan, Bulloch, Chatham, Effingham and Liberty counties. The tornado watch was issued at 10:20 a.m. Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

The watch also includes Jasper and Hampton counties in South Carolina, just north of the Georgia-South Carolina border.

The region is also at a “slight” risk of severe thunderstorms Monday, meaning scattered severe thunderstorms are possible, according to an NWS hazardous weather outlook.

A tornado watch means that tornadoes are possible in or near the watch area, according to the NWS. The service advises residents discuss emergency plans and be prepared to act quickly if a tornado warning is issued. A tornado warning is issued when a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar, according to the NWS.

Evan Lasseter is the city and county government reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah area under tornado watch Monday, National Weather Service says