Angelina, Nacogdoches Counties Under a Tornado Watch Until 1 am

The Storm Prediction Center has issued two separate tornado watches for portions of Deep East Texas. Both watches are in effect until 1 am.

Tornado Watch Number One

This watch encompasses a large area that includes portions of southeastern Oklahoma, much of Arkansas, northwestern Louisiana, and east and northeast Texas. In Deep East Texas, this includes Angelina, Nacogdoches, and Cherokee Counties. Primary threats include the possibility of a few tornadoes and scattered large hail events, in some cases up to ping pong ball sizes. Scattered damaging wind gusts up to 70 mph are also likely.

Ongoing thunderstorms across north Texas, eastern Oklahoma, and far northwest Arkansas are expected to continue southeastward into the moist and unstable environment that extends through our area. However, that unstable environment is expected to be less conducive to supercell development as we get closer to midnight.

Tornado Watch Number Two

This watch was issued just after 7 pm. Anderson, Trinity, and Houston Counties are included in this tornado watch. Intense supercells have been ongoing across north-central Texas, and they continue to progress towards the southeast. That track is expected to continue for the next few hours.

Golf ball to ping-pong ball-sized hail has been reported from the storms since earlier this evening. All severe hazards are possible, including very large hail and tornadoes. Forecasters expect the atmosphere to be less favorable for the continuation of these storms later into the night; however, they could still maintain severe levels as they get closer to the western sections of Deep East Texas.

A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. People in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions and listen to later statements and possible warnings.