A Tornado Watch remains in effect for the Austin area and other counties across Central Texas until 4 p.m. Tuesday as multiple rounds of strong storms move through the region. Forecasters anticipate various severe weather threats, including large hail, isolated tornadoes, damaging winds, and heavy rainfall.
The National Weather Service issued the watch early Tuesday morning as an active weather pattern unfolded across the area. Not all locations will experience severe conditions, but residents should be prepared.
Attention is focused on storms developing west of the region that are expected to impact parts of Central Texas, including the I-35 corridor and the Austin metro, during the late overnight and Tuesday morning commute hours, generally between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. Storm coverage could be spotty.
A secondary window for severe weather may open late Tuesday afternoon or evening, particularly east of I-35. This possibility depends on how much the atmosphere recovers after the morning storms. If conditions allow, isolated supercells could redevelop.
The Storm Prediction Center has outlined a "slight" risk level – 2 of 5 – for severe weather across most of the area. An "enhanced" risk – level 3 of 5 – has been noted across the northeast Coastal Plains.
The current weather pattern, described as an "omega block," is trapping weather systems in place, disrupting typical flow and increasing the likelihood of repeated thunderstorm activity through midweek.
Due to the weather threat, the Austin airport has paused some flights, leading to potential delays over the next several days. Check FAA ground stops for updates.
Several resources are available for staying informed during severe weather. Residents can sign up for emergency alerts through WARN Central Texas. Outage maps are available from providers like Austin Energy. Information on road closures due to flooding can be found at ATXFloods.com.
Meteorologists note the unpredictable nature of springtime storms, making it difficult to pinpoint exact locations for severe weather.
"We may get a good rain in Austin or parts of Austin, and we may not," NWS meteorologist Bob Fogarty said. "That’s just the nature of these springtime storms.”
After Tuesday, the forecast includes a few lingering storms possible on Wednesday before trending drier into the late week and weekend.
