A tornado watch is in effect until 8 p.m. Thursday, May 15. The National Weather Service issued the watch for 21 Minnesota counties, including Stearns, Benton and Sherburne counties. The watch was issued shortly after 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

Cities such as Chicago, Minneapolis and Milwaukee are at risk for a severe weather outbreak, forecasters said.

Multiple rounds of severe thunderstorms, with some capable of producing strong tornadoes, are expected across the Upper Midwest on Monday.