The Greater Gulf State Fair is closed Saturday out of concerns for severe weather that is expected to arrive into Mobile County sometime later this evening.

Related: 9 things to know if you’re going to the Greater Gulf State Fair

“Safety is a priority to the Fair,” a message posted to the fair’s Facebook page states. “This decision was made for the safety of our patrons, staff, vendors, and volunteers.”

The fair, which occurs at The Grounds in Mobile, will reopen at noon on Sunday. It opened on Friday and runs through Sunday, Nov. 6.

Michael Mugrage, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mobile, said a potential exists for strong and severe storms later this afternoon and into the overnight hours.

“We are focused on southeast Mississippi in the counties we serve for the next five to six hours where there is a tornado watch in effect,” said Mugrage. “That will continue to shift east overnight. Into southwest Alabama, it will be after 9 or 10 tonight. It will be slow moving as it crawls across the area and into the Florida panhandle overnight.”

He said conditions are favorable for “damaging winds” and tornadoes.

“As it progresses east, we’ll end up having a tornado watch later (in Mobile and Baldwin counties),” Mugrage said. The severe weather threat should dissipate near daybreak, he said.