Tornado Watch Issued for Deep East Texas as Outbreak Continues

The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma has issued a Tornado Watch for all of Deep East Texas.  The watch is in effect until 3 a.m.

The following counties are included in the tornado watch:

• Angelina
• Nacogdoches
• Cherokee
• Houston
• Trinity
• Polk
• Tyler
• Jasper
• Newton
• San Augustine
• Sabine
• Shelby
• Tyler

This is a very dangerous weather system that has produced numerous tornadoes in central Texas and southern Oklahoma.  In addition to strong tornadoes, this severe weather outbreak could produce golf-ball-sized hail, damaging straight-line winds in excess of 70 mph, and there is also the possibility of flash flooding with up to 6 inches of rain falling in parts of the Pineywoods.

Adding to the extreme danger is that these storms should occur overnight.  Most of the severe storm activity is expected to move past the Lufkin/Nacogdoches vicinity by 8 a.m.

Numerous schools in East Texas have either delayed classes on Tuesday or have canceled classes for the day. The Crockett Civic Center in Houston County has opened to house those that may reside in structures that are not sturdy enough to withstand extreme winds.

I have found that this YouTube Channel has been providing great coverage of this outbreak since it started this afternoon across central Texas.