Tornado Watch Issued For Austin And Surrounding Areas Until 2 A.M.

Severe storms with the potential for large hail, damaging winds and even isolated tornadoes are possible in the Austin area Wednesday night. A Tornado Watch has been issued for Travis County and the surrounding areas until 2 a.m. 

As of Wednesday noon, the National Weather Service forecast has the line of storms moving through the Hill Country from 7 to 11 p.m. followed by Austin around midnight. 

Austin is included in an “enhanced risk” area for severe storms. It’s the first time Central Texas has been under an enhanced risk – meaning numerous severe storms are possible – since April 2017. 

The National Weather Service in Austin/San Antonio says all of South Central Texas will be in the path of the storms, but the greatest threat for severe weather will be east of US 281 and north of Interstate 10.

Through the afternoon Wednesday, the main threat will be large hail, but as storms form into a line moving east, the threat will shift to damaging winds with an isolated tornado possible through the evening and into the overnight hours, the NWS says.

Brief heavy rainfall may lead to some minor flooding of low water crossings, with the best chance for heavy rainfall occurring east of I-35 and north of I-10.

If you have plans later this week, you can look forward to clear skies Thursday and Friday, before rain chances return Saturday and Sunday.