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Tornado watch issued for Austin and the surrounding area until midnight

National Weather Service

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for Travis, Burnet, Bastrop, Hays, Williamson, Caldwell, Lee and Fayette counties until midnight tonight. Residents are advised to stay off the roads and take shelter.

The NWS says the main threat is large hail and damaging winds, but tornadoes are also possible. The NWS says people in a watch area should be ready to act if a warning is issued.

A "tornado warning" means a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar.

An earlier tornado warning for Williamson County has expired. The Williamson County Office of Emergency Management tweeted that a possible tornado was reported 3 miles south of Jarrell. The agency said I-35 South has been shut down near Exit 271 in Jarrell because of an overturned 18-wheeler truck; it advised drivers to avoid the area.

KUT's Kailey Hunt reported a downed power line near I-35 North between exits 274 and 275

Follow along for severe storm updates from the NWS below: