UPDATE: Severe Thunderstorm Watch in Effect Until 10 p.m.

A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect today (Thursday) until 10 p.m., the National Weather Service announced.

The watch area covers about 50 counties including Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Washington and Westmoreland.

The forecasted winds, in excess of 60 mph in some regions, have the potential to cause significant damage to the electrical system.

For information on the West Penn Power's restoration efforts, current outages, FirstEnergy’s storm restoration process and tips for staying safe, go to firstenergycorp.com.

To report an outage, call 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877).

A  remains in effect until 8 p.m.

"Hot and humid air can result in afternoon temperatures climbing into the 90s and heat indices possibly surpassing 100," according to the National Weather Service website.

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