NWS Issues New Severe Thunderstorm Watch, Houston Metro Included

Earlier this morning, when meteorologists at the Storm Prediction Center issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for portions of northeast and east Texas, they warned that a new warning could be issued further 'downstream' later in the day.

They were right.

The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of east, central and southeast Texas until 6 p.m.

Primary threats include scattered damaging winds and isolated significant gusts to 75 mph, scattered large hail likely with isolated very large hail events to 2.5 inches in diameter are also possible.

Thunderstorms are expected to intensify through the afternoon and spread southeastward across the watch area. The strongest cells will be capable of damaging wind gusts and large hail.

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The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 65 statute miles north and south of a line from 65 miles west southwest of College Station to 25 miles north northeast of Port Arthur.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce tornadoes.

Here are the counties included in this Severe Thunderstorm Watch:

Austin, Bastrop, Brazoria, Brazos, Burleson, Chambers, Colorado, Fayette, Fort Bend, Galveston, Grims, Hardin, Harris, Houston, Jasper, Jefferson, Lee, Liberty, Madison, Matagorda, Montgomery, Newton, Orange, Polk, San Jacinto, Travis, Trinity, Tyler, Walker, Waller, Wharton, and Williamson.