Austin weather: Dangerous winds, large hail possible Sunday night

Austin weather: May 10 morning forecast

Damaging wind gusts possibly exceeding 75 mph, large hail over 2 inches, locally heavy rainfall with isolated amounts up to 4 inches, and a brief spin-up tornado are all possible with the severe threat tonight.

AUSTIN - A tranquil Mother’s Day across Central Texas is expected to give way to a night of dangerous weather as an approaching cold front brings the threat of hurricane-force winds and large hail to the region.

Severe storms tonight

The Storm Prediction Center has expanded severe weather risk zones for Sunday evening, placing much of the Hill Country under an "enhanced" level three risk, while Austin and surrounding areas remain under a level two "slight" risk.

While the daytime will remain hot and humid with highs reaching 91 degrees, the atmosphere will turn volatile after sunset.

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High-risk areas

Timeline:

The primary threats are expected to arrive between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. in the Austin metro area as a line of storms pushes from the northwest to the southeast. Experts are particularly concerned about damaging straight-line winds, with some gusts potentially exceeding 75 mph.

Additionally, a "hatched" area to the north of Austin indicates the potential for significant hail stones measuring 2 inches or larger in diameter. While the primary tornado threat remains north of the region, officials said they cannot entirely rule out a brief "spin-up" tornado or localized flooding in areas that see heavy rainfall.

The shift in weather comes one day after an unforecasted storm produced a funnel cloud in Hutto and dropped hail on Williamson County, serving as a reminder of how quickly conditions can change.

Once the front passes, Monday is expected to be significantly cooler and quieter, with high temperatures dropping into the lower 80s. The region is forecast to warm back into the 90s later in the week, with the next minor chance for rain arriving Saturday.