Updated 2 mins ago NBC Universal, Inc. A Tornado Watch has been issued for the entire region, from Delaware and southeastern Pennsylvania to southern New Jersey, as severe storms will hit the Philadelphia region on Thursday afternoon. A FIRST ALERT is in effect for the entire area now through 10 p.m. The first round of showers with a few embedded thunderstorms began hitting the region between 4 a.m. and 9 a.m. The storms weren't severe. The region is now in a holding pattern until the second, more dangerous round of storms arrives in the afternoon. The severity of the second round of storms is highly dependent on the sun coming out and the temperatures going up. If we stay cloudy and rainy most of the day, then the second round of severe storms will be a bust. However, if we do see some sunshine (which is the current forecast) and temperatures manage to heat up, then we’ll likely be dealing with a line of intense, powerful, and disruptive thunderstorms crossing through the area.