Severe Storms Expected in North Texas, Tornado Watch and Thunderstorm Warnings Issued

North Texas residents are being warned to brace for severe weather as a Tornado Watch has been issued for parts of the region until 6:00 p.m. The affected areas include Young, Jack, Wise, Cooke, Grayson, and Montague counties. Additionally, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for Lewisville, Flower Mound, and Keller until 6:30 p.m.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is also in effect for most of the metroplex until midnight. This watch covers a wide range of counties, including Bosque, Collin, Comanche, Cooke, Dallas, Delta, Denton, Eastland, Ellis, Erath, Fannin, Grayson, Hamilton, Henderson, Hill, Hood, Hopkins, Hunt, Jack, Johnson, Kaufman, Lamar, Mills, Montague, Navarro, Palo Pinto, Parker, Rains, Rockwall, Somervell, Tarrant, Van Zandt, and Wise.

Storms have already started to develop along a dryline in these areas, with severe storms observed in parts of Oklahoma further north. Residents are advised to stay vigilant as these storms have the potential to produce large hail, damaging winds, and heavy rainfall. There is also a possibility of isolated tornadoes in areas south of the Red River, where an enhanced risk level 3 has been extended.

The storms are expected to continue developing into the early afternoon, especially in the northwest areas. A cold front will then bring another round of storms later in the evening. The intensity of the storms will depend on the eroding of the strong cap that has been in place this morning. Should the cap break, the storms will tap into significant instability and quickly escalate to severe conditions.

The coverage of storms will increase around 3:00-4:00 p.m. and continue through the early evening hours, particularly in areas east of I-35. Once the cold front moves through North Texas, the severe threat will diminish, although more rainfall is expected mid-morning on Friday.

CBS News Texas and the First Alert Weather team will provide regular updates on the weather conditions to keep residents informed and safe. It is crucial for individuals to stay tuned to these sources for the latest developments and heed any warnings or advisories issued.