Houston under tornado watch as storms arrive for evening commute

The following Texas counties are included in the tornado watch until 10 p.m. Thursday: Austin, Brazoria, Brazos, Burleson, Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend, Galveston, Grimes, Hardin, Harris, Houston, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Madison, Montgomery. , Newton, Orange, Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity, Tyler, Walker, Waller, Washington, Wharton.

A tornado watch means conditions are favorable for the development of strong storms capable of producing tornadoes. People on a tornado watch should be prepared to seek shelter immediately if a tornado warning is issued for your location.

The safest place to be during a tornado is a basement or storm shelter. If you don’t have a basement or storm shelter, seek shelter in an interior closet on the lowest level of your home. Putting as many walls as possible between you and the outdoors is essential to staying safe if a tornado occurs in your area. An indoor bathroom is also a great option, as strong plumbing around the bathroom will fortify your shelter.

If possible, take a bicycle helmet or pillows for shelter. Don’t waste time opening the windows of your house.

If you are trapped in your car during a tornado warning, seek shelter in a sturdy building such as a grocery store or fast food restaurant. If safe shelter is not an option while driving, go below road level into a ditch and keep your head covered as best as possible. Remember that a ditch may not be your safest option in the event of flooding.

Scattered strong storms continued north of I-10 early Thursday afternoon. High-resolution weather models suggest strong storms will arrive in Huntsville between 3 and 4 p.m. Around 5 or 6 p.m., storms are expected to approach Conroe and The Woodlands. In Houston, the main line of storms is expected to arrive between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.

In addition to the risk of tornadoes, severe storms will also be capable of producing damaging winds up to 70 mph and hail up to 2 inches in diameter.

A flood watch remains in effect through Friday morning for much of Southeast Texas, including Greater Houston. Areas north of I-10 could see up to 2 to 4 inches of rain, with higher amounts exceeding 6 inches expected in waterlogged areas of Trinity, San Jacinto and Walker counties.