Severe weather

Severe storms are sweeping into North and Central Texas alongside a cold front today, bringing the potential for damaging winds, large hail and flash floods through the weekend.
"An unsettled weather pattern will bring daily rain and storm chances today through the weekend," the Dallas-Fort Worth National Weather Service (NWS) Office wrote in its outlook. "Multiple rounds of thunderstorms will bring a severe weather and flash flooding threat to much of North and Central Texas Friday into early next week."
While Southeast Texas is on the fringe of any severe risk, the Greater Houston area could pick up a few inches of "much-needed" rainfall, according to Harris County meteorologist Jeff Linder.
As a cold front creeps into the Lone Star State, here's what's in the forecast as of Wednesday morning.

Wednesday
A cold front is moving southeast into North Texas this morning, stalling later this afternoon.
Isolated showers and thunderstorms could develop in the morning ahead of the front. By the afternoon, the chance of scattered storms increases to roughly 60 percent coverage, moving northeast through the evening.
"Any of these storms will have a threat for 1-2 inch hail and 60-65 mph damaging wind gusts," meteorologists with the Fort Worth NWS Office said. "The tornado threat is low for most of the day, but slightly increases in the evening."
Scattered storms could linger through the night, especially north of I-20, but the severe threat will gradually dissipate after 10 p.m.
In southeast Texas, scattered thunderstorms are expected over the Brazos Valley and Piney Woods region. With the possibility of an isolated severe storm in the north, according to the Houston-Galveston NWS Office.

Thursday
Forecasters in Northern Texas anticipate a relative lull in precipitation on Thursday.
However, a 20 to 30 percent chance of isolated strong and severe storms could sweep in west of I-35 late Thursday evening.
"A few strong storms capable of small hail and gusty winds cannot be ruled out west of I-35," the Dallas-Fort Worth NWS Office wrote.

Friday
A dryline approaching North and Central Texas Friday will bring greater chances for severe storms across the area.
"Locations along and north of US-380 will have the greatest chance of large hail, damaging winds, and a few tornadoes," meteorologists with the Fort Worth NWS Office wrote.
In the southeast, strong to severe storms could bring heavy rainfall, damaging wind gusts and hail north of I-10, with a marginal risk in Colorado and north Liberty counties and a slight risk in northern Brazos Valley and Piney Woods, according to the Houston-Galveston NWS Office.

The rest of the weekend
Forecasts for Saturday and Sunday, leading into early next week, are still developing.
"The threat for flooding will increase this weekend with the potential for multiple rounds of heavy rain," the Fort Worth NWS Office wrote.
There is an increasing chance for heavy rainfall north of I-10 in the southeast, according to the Houston-Galveston NWS Office. A few strong to severe thunderstorms are possible through the weekend, mostly in the Brazos Valley and Piney Woods areas.