Big storms to blast central, southeastern Texas into Thursday night
A massive wall of dirt, known as a haboob, raged through Lubbock, Texas, on June 5. The haboob packed winds powerful winds as it slung dirt through the area, making conditions outside unbearable.
Thunderstorms capable of causing damage will erupt over central Texas and grind toward the Gulf coast into Thursday evening.
The greatest threats from the storms will be from strong wind gusts that can reach 70 mph and hail to the size of golf balls.
However, flash flooding can occur with any severe thunderstorm. Since rainfall from Thursday's storms may overlap areas hit by heavy rain from Wednesday, these coastal areas have a greater chance of flooding downpours.
The threat area will extend from northwest of Austin and San Antonio to Laredo, Victoria and Corpus Christi, Texas.
A few strong storms may drift into part of the lower Rio Grande Valley and the Houston metro area as well.
Occasionally, severe thunderstorms can produce an isolated tornado.
Farther to the east, a somewhat greater chance of tornadoes and waterspouts will exist from southeastern Louisiana to southern Mississippi, southwestern Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. However, even in this zone an outbreak of tornadoes is not expected.
The greatest risk to lives and property in this central Gulf coast zone, as well as much of the lower Mississippi Valley, will be from flooding rainfall.
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