UPDATE: All watches and warnings for the Austin area have expired or been canceled.
AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Much of Central Texas could see the potential for strong to severe storms Tuesday afternoon, with the risk for potential severe weather increasing slightly in the past 24 hours.
A Tornado Watch is in effect for Travis, Hays, and Williamson Counties until 11PM Tuesday...
The Storm Prediction Center has shifted its "Enhanced" risk - a 3 out of 5 levels - further to the south and west Tuesday morning, now encompassing all of Williamson County and the northern half of Travis County.
The rest of Travis County, along with most of Bastrop County and all of Caldwell and Hays Counties is under a "Slight" risk, or 2 out of 5.
Some uncertainty remains if storms will even be able to develop due to an atmospheric "cap" in place - a layer of warm air in the atmosphere that could prevent storms from developing rapidly. However, if storms are able to break through that cap, that's when things could develop rapidly.
The biggest threat Tuesday afternoon will be large hail and damaging winds. An isolated, short-lived tornado can't be ruled out but is unlikely.
Forecasters say the likely timing for storms to begin developing in the Hill Country is around 3-4 p.m., with storms that do develop pushing into the Austin area during the evening rush hour between 5 and 7 p.m. Whatever storms do develop will quickly exit the area off to our east after sunset.
A passing front Wednesday will drop humidity levels, creating dangerous fire conditions around the area again. A Fire Weather Watch has been issued for the I-35 corridor counties through the day on Wednesday.
Stay with Talk 1370 and Talk1370.com for the latest as this severe weather situation continues to develop.
