The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the Austin area until 10 p.m.
An earlier thunderstorm warning for Travis, Williamson and Hays counties — as well as a tornado warning for parts of Williamson — has expired.
NWS meteorologist Mack Morris told KUT earlier Thursday that the primary concern was hail and damaging winds. He called the chance for a tornado "low."
The showers came in with a cold front moving through Central Texas around 6 p.m. Flooding isn't a concern, Morris said, because the storms will move pretty quickly.
Austin Energy is asking residents to be prepared for possible outages. It said trees could be weaker because of damage from last month's winter storm.
Storms are headed our way. High winds, lightning & broken tree limbs can cause localized outages. Our crews are ready to respond.
— Austin Energy (@austinenergy) March 1, 2023
⚡Outage Map: https://t.co/CUzgszkJ2r
📱Sign up for Outage Alerts: https://t.co/1urERw5mRl
🔋 Keep your phone charged
📞 Report outages 512-322-9100 pic.twitter.com/Eq9WUyZZmS
You can sign up for Austin Energy outage alerts here.
As a precaution, Austin ISD canceled all outdoor after-school activities, and Hays CISD said it was ending these activities by 6:30 p.m. Round Rock ISD canceled after-school activities Thursday and Friday. For additional updates on schedule changes and other districts, check the district’s website.
The City of Austin said it would keep 20 recreation centers and four public libraries open until 10 p.m. for anyone who needs a safe place to wait out the storm. Find a list of those sites here.
Follow the latest updates from the National Weather Service below:
