A cold front is expected to blow through North Texas on Thursday, bringing the possibility of severe weather to the area.
The National Weather Service in Fort Worth said that while there is a potential for some storms in the morning hours, the main chance of severe weather will occur during the late afternoon into overnight hours.
Meteorologists predict these possible storms could generate damaging winds in excess of 60 miles per hour and hail the size of a quarter or larger.
Tornadoes are also possible with this incoming weather system, but the NWS said the overall threat of tornadoes is low.
As of now, the NWS is watching two areas for the greatest risk of severe weather. These areas are east of I-35 and to the northwest of the metroplex along the incoming cold front.
“We expect that risk of severe thunderstorms, especially for the metroplex region, to be primarily between the hours of 3:00 and about 9:00 p.m.,” Ted Ryan, NWS Fort Worth’s science and operations officer, told The Dallas Express.
Ryan said that, while storms are not expected over the entire course of these hours and some may not experience severe conditions, citizens should still be prepared in the event these storms become severe or if tornado warnings are issued.
The NWS told The Dallas Express that this storm system is related to the same weather system that brought an atmospheric river to California. This weather system compounded the winter conditions already affecting California, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Following this weather system, the DFW region will experience unseasonably cold temperatures on March 17, struggling to rise into the 50s.
Ryan told The Dallas Express that Friday will be a very cold and “winter-like” day across the metroplex, but any falling precipitation would be marginal.
The NWS advises that civilians plan ahead for safety in the event of severe weather and have a variety of ways of receiving alerts.