UPDATED: Severe thunderstorm, hail watch in effect for Penticton

PENTICTON — A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for Penticton and most of the South Okanagan area.

Environment Canada said heavy downpours are possible for Thursday afternoon and evening. Large hail stones and damaging winds might also accompany the storms.

It's expected 10 to 15 mm of rain could fall per hour. There is also a chance of localized flooding through the south Okanagan region.

On Friday there will be more of the same with a risk of thunderstorm in the afternoon and early evening.

Environment Canada recommends people seek shelter if caught in bad weather.

More rain might be problems for areas with still-high water tables Dale Kronebusch said. The emergency services supervisor of Regional District Okanagan Similkameen keeps an eye on water levels on and under the region.

He said Oliver and Willowbrook have had unusally high water levels for six weeks which hasn't happened in 20 years. One Oliver orchard owner's land is too boggy for big machines to work on. If the water doesn't go down it could damage the owner's crops.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Shannon Quesnel at squesnel@infotelnews.ca, call 250-488-3065 or tweet @shannonquesnel1