Severe thunderstorm watch issued for Central Texas

AUSTIN, Texas - A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for the western Hill Country through 10 p.m. Tuesday. The watch will almost certainly be extended to include the I-35 corridor overnight Tuesday into the pre-dawn hours of Wednesday morning.   

There is an enhanced risk for severe weather for much of the northern half of the Austin viewing area and slight risk for severe weather for the remainder. 

There is also a slight risk for flash flooding with this line of thunderstorms as high humidity will allow for very heavy rain and rain-train effect thunderstorms could produce 2-6 inch rainfall totals in spots. 

Strong and severe thunderstorms have formed in west Texas and will slowly organize into a line of thunderstorms that will blast through the Hill Country and I-35 corridor. 

Strong winds and flash flooding will be the main, and most widespread impacts though the chance for a tornado will remain significant enough as line blows through central Texas. 

The storms will blow through the Hill Country starting around 8-10 p.m., Austin between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m., and coastal plain communities midnight to 3 a.m. 

Thunderstorms will taper off to a steady light to moderate rain about an hour or so after the initial line of storms blow through. The rain should be done along the I-35 corridor by sunrise Wednesday. Any lingering showers along the coastal plain will clear the area by noon Wednesday. 

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