First Alert Weather: Large hail, damaging winds expected in North Texas Saturday evening
NORTH TEXAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) — This evening, North Texas is under a weather alert for the threat of large hail and damaging winds. The tornado threat is small, but not zero.
As of this afternoon, we are watching the dry-line to our west for storm development. Visible satellite shows two areas to watch where clouds have quickly formed.
Either or both of these areas are expected to rapidly give rise to strong storms. Severe weather is expected in our western counties and a Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect until 11 p.m.
The atmosphere is primed for severe weather. We've had three weather alert days in a row, but this is the first one where a large part of the DFW Metroplex is under the enhanced area, as drawn by the Storm Prediction Center.
Severe weather is expected tonight in the metroplex. Timing is the biggest issue. Here are three different short-range forecasts showing three very different arrival times for Tarrant and Dallas Counties.
All we can do at this point is keep an eye on the radar out west. Where and when these storms form will tell us more about when they will threaten our area later tonight.
The main threats are large hail (more than two inches in size) and winds over 70 mph.
Hail and damaging winds are the main threats, along with a smaller tornado threat and a threat of localized flooding.
Looking ahead
There is a threat of late afternoon and early evening storms for Sunday as well. So, not much relief ahead in the forecast.
There is also very unsettled weather expected from Wednesday to Saturday. This period could also bring some significant rains.