Houston, Texas – Strong to severe thunderstorms could develop along a cold front late Saturday afternoon, potentially impacting travel along Interstate 45 and U.S. Highway 59 before midnight.
According to the National Weather Service in Houston/Galveston, showers and thunderstorms are expected to form ahead of the front and move east through the evening hours. The system is forecast to enter areas near College Station and Columbus late Saturday afternoon before pushing offshore around midnight.
Forecasters have outlined a Level 1 (Marginal) to Level 2 (Slight) risk of severe weather across Southeast Texas. Counties northeast of a line extending from Colorado County to Matagorda County are under a Level 2 risk, indicating scattered severe storms are possible. Areas southwest of that line remain under a Level 1 risk.
Potential impacts include damaging wind gusts, locally heavy rainfall and the possibility of a brief isolated tornado. Officials are also monitoring for training storms that could lead to localized minor street flooding.
High temperatures Saturday are expected to reach 74 to 79 degrees inland and 71 to 74 degrees near the coast before cooler air moves in behind the front. Overnight lows are forecast between 54 and 60 degrees.
Storms could affect travel on I-45, I-10, U.S. 59 and surrounding roadways during the late afternoon and evening commute.
Drivers, students and evening event attendees across Harris, Montgomery and Galveston counties are encouraged to monitor alerts and have multiple ways to receive warnings.
The National Weather Service advises residents to remain weather-aware as conditions evolve through Saturday night.
