WKU is monitoring the threat of severe weather in the interest of campus safety, as tornadoes and severe weather have affected regions surrounding Bowling Green Thursday. 

Bob Skipper, director of WKU media relations, told the Herald in an email that the university is monitoring the National Weather Service, Warren County Emergency Management and White Squirrel Weather to be aware of any incoming hazardous weather. 

Warren County is under a tornado watch until 4 p.m. Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. Several surrounding counties, including Edmonson, Logan, Simpson and Butler County were placed under a tornado watch Thursday morning, according to the National Weather Service. 

The National Weather Service also confirmed that a tornado touched down in Paducah, causing significant damage. 

{{tncms-inline account=”Eric Chumbler” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ryan Long grabbed this photo. One of the tornados damaged this church by Barkley Regional Airport in McCracken County. <a href="https://t.co/hbJD9ShpJe">pic.twitter.com/hbJD9ShpJe</a></p>— Eric Chumbler (@EricChumbler) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricChumbler/status/1106217561925079041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2019</a></blockquote>” id=”https://twitter.com/EricChumbler/status/1106217561925079041″ type=”twitter”}}

{{tncms-inline account=”Lew Jetton” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Damage near Paducah on Hwy 62 credit: <a href="https://t.co/53bu4nYgpI">https://t.co/53bu4nYgpI</a> <a href="https://t.co/VGPIFixyR8">pic.twitter.com/VGPIFixyR8</a></p>— Lew Jetton (@Lew_Jetton) <a href="https://twitter.com/Lew_Jetton/status/1106215704418766848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2019</a></blockquote>” id=”https://twitter.com/Lew_Jetton/status/1106215704418766848″ type=”twitter”}}

If severe weather is imminent, the university will send out alerts via text message, social media, the WKU website, email, and the outdoor warning speakers, according to Skipper. 

Digital managing editor Jeremy Chisenhall can be reached at 270-745-6291 and [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @JSChisenhall.