Severe Thunderstorm Watch Covers Austin Area as Storms Move East

The Hill Country and the Austin metro area are under a severe thunderstorm watch until 2 a.m. Wednesday. This is because the tornado watch ended earlier Tuesday evening. Storms moving east across Central Texas could bring large hail, damaging winds, and heavy rain, but the chance of tornadoes has decreased.

As they move east across Central Texas, strong storms are still bringing heavy rain and strong wind gusts. According to the weather reports, some storms earlier in the evening produced wind gusts exceeding 60 mph.

The strongest storms are expected to hit the I-35 area around midnight or early the next morning. They will then slowly move east, toward counties east of Austin, by early Wednesday morning.

As the system moves east, the storm is likely to get weaker.

Forecasters said, "There should be a clear trend of storms getting weaker as they move toward and east of I-35."

Overnight, the biggest dangers are strong winds, big hail, and, in some places, heavy rain.

Different parts of the region are likely to get different amounts of rain. It is expected to rain the most in the Hill Country. However, places east of Interstate 35 may see much lower totals as the storm system weakens.

Forecasters also say there is a chance of localized flash floods in the Hill Country early in the morning, especially where it rains harder.

Showers and thunderstorms should move out of the area from west to east by Wednesday morning. In the afternoon, there will be some sunshine again.

More rain could come back later in the day, though.

Forecasters said some storms or showers that wrap around may return late this afternoon and into Wednesday evening, mostly east of I-35.

Later this week, the stormy weather will end when a cold front moves through the area on Wednesday, making it cooler and drier.

Thursday morning, temperatures will drop into the 40s, and by afternoon, they will reach around 70 degrees.

The cooler air won't last long. Over the weekend, temperatures should rise back into the 80s before another strong cold front comes through early next week.

That storm could bring highs back up to the 60s by Monday, which would mean that the weather in Central Texas has changed again.