Tornado Watch Issued for Portions of East Texas Until 7 p.m.

The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) in Norman, Oklahoma has issued a Tornado Watch for portions of East Texas and all of Southeast Texas. The Watch continues until 7 p.m. Sunday evening.

According to the SPC, the threat for supercells with a couple of tornadoes will slowly increase through the afternoon as a warm front moves slowly northward across southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana.

The tornado threat will be greater with storms along the warm front. Storms along and to the cool side of the front will pose a threat for large hail of 1-2 inches in diameter, as well as isolated damaging gusts of 60-70 mph.

The tornado watch area is approximately along and 35 statute miles north and south of a line from 120 miles west of Port Arthur, Texas to 35 miles east northeast of Lake Charles, Louisiana.

The following counties are included in the Tornado Watch: Polk, Tyler, Jasper, Newton, Chambers, Hardin, Harris, Jefferson, Liberty, Montgomery, San Jacinto, and Waller.

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

A Flood Watch is also in effect through Tuesday morning for Deep East Texas. Rainfall amounts over 6 inches may occur in the Pineywoods which would lead to flash flooding.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is also in effect until 3 p.m. for Angelina, Nacogdoches, Cherokee, Houston, and Trinity Counties. Several severe thunderstorm warnings have been issued in east Texas today.