According to the National Weather Service, a wind alert has been issued for areas of North Texas ahead of stormy weather on Monday evening.
The wind advisory is in place for counties along and east of Interstate 35, including Tarrant and Dallas counties, from noon to 7 p.m. Monday, according to the meteorological service. The forecast predicts sustained winds of 20 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph are possible.
In a tweet, the National Weather Service Fort Worth said heavy rain might cause moderate flooding in parts of East Texas today, in addition to the storm threat. Winds will progressively pick up today, reaching between 40-45 mph in the afternoon.
Thunderstorms are likely to develop in North and Central Texas late this afternoon and into the evening.
Some storms could be severe from Dallas-Fort Worth to the south and east, causing flooding, damaging winds, and significant hail. According to the forecast, tornadoes could form along and south of Interstate 20.
The weather service said strong to severe storms are most likely to occur between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m.
“You need to have an action plan in place, know what to do if there’s a tornado warning issued for your county, your area, especially this afternoon,” said meteorologist Grant Johnston of KXAS-TV (NBC5). People should be aware of fast-changing forecasts and have several ways to receive weather warnings, such as via phone, radio, or television, according to the weather service.
Many Central Texas counties that were ravaged by wildfires over the weekend had their fire hazard advisories lifted on Monday, according to the National Weather Service. Johnston reports that strong winds are expected to return to the area Tuesday and Wednesday.