UPDATED 11:40 a.m.

By Annabeth Miller, ShowMe Times Editor

If the region hasn’t already had some strong doses of severe weather lately, the National Weather Service is calling for a “significant severe weather event” for Southeast Missouri on Tuesday and Tuesday night.

Meteorologists say a strong low pressure system will move into the region from Western Missouri midday Tuesday. A cold front will approach from the wet late today and move across the region tonight.

“An outbreak of severe thunderstorms is forecast along and ahead of the cold front,” NWS reported. The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., has place all of Southeast Missouri as well as Southern Illinois in a “moderate risk”” area for severe storms. These storms are expected to include large hail, damaging wind and a “few” tornadoes.

Dexter native Jeff Huffman is the meteorologist KMIZ, the ABC television station in Columbia.Huffman says today may be a busy one for meteorologists in Missouri.

"This year's severe weather season has already been a busier than normal one across much of the nation. We will likely add to the numbers today as another powerful cold front moves across the Midwest. Widespread damaging wind gusts are expected across much of southeastern Missouri this evening, with an isolated tornado or two also possible," he said.

"The lingering colder than normal weather across the northern states, a pattern typical of the La Nina cycle we are currently in, results in greater than usual temperature contrasts along fronts thus the higher than normal occurrences of severe storms," Huffman said of today's weather warnings. The NWS says the time frame of greatest concern is from the the end of the work day through the first half of tonight. The weather service advises that persons who have plans to be “out and about” today to consider altering those plans and to be proactive in preparing for any severe weather.

Photo Above: Dexter native Jeff Huffman is a meteorologist with KMIZ television in Columbia. Huffman is a 1997 graduate of Dexter High School.