Houston weather: Thunderstorms expected to move through area Thursday afternoon; flooding possible

Houston drivers will want to pay attention to the radar Thursday afternoon, with strong thunderstorms expected to roll into the region.

The National Weather Service is expecting isolated showers all afternoon, thanks to a cold front arriving in northern counties around Greater Houston.

Those storms are expected to move towards Houston Metro, possibly impacting rush hour traffic, and throughout the evening.

“If the timing ends up being where we think it’ll be, the roads are probably going to become wet. There could be some strong storms, maybe some gusty winds with stronger activity. But the main threat will be just rainfall, everywhere,” says Joshua Lichter, NOAA Weather Radio.

Some areas will get between 1-2 inches of rain, which Lichter says could cause flooding.

The chances of the system producing a tornado or hail is low, but the possibility is not being ruled out. Winds could gust in between 30-45 miles an hour.

The downpours are expected to last up until around 9 p.m., with a weak frontal boundary coming in, and the sea breeze moving in from the south.

“Pay attention to maybe before you leave, work or hit school to pick up children. Check the radar out; you might want to leave a little earlier, depending on where the storms are. But we’re expecting them to move in from the north,” Lichter says.

Rainy conditions are expected for the Houston area on Friday and throughout the weekend.