A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect until 5 p.m. Friday for Central and South Jersey, as intense storms are likely to slice through the area from midday through the afternoon. We’re capping an unsettled week with a flurry of stormy weather Friday and Saturday.

The strong tornado threat Thursday includes Chicago, Milwaukee and a big chunk of central Wisconsin. Evansville, Indiana, is at the heart of Friday’s tornado threat.

Forecasters say the northern half of New Jersey has a marginal risk of getting severe thunderstorms with damaging wind gusts on Friday, and the southern half of the state has a slight risk. Marginal is the lowest on a 5-level risk scale, and slight is the second lowest. Storm Prediction Center