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Tornado warnings plague communities west of Houston as severe weather rolls through area
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Showers and thunderstorms are expected for the Houston area this afternoon. They are expected to last through Saturday morning.
>>PHOTOS: Proof that the weather can be beautiful
Showers and thunderstorms are expected for the Houston area this afternoon. They are expected to last through Saturday morning.>>PHOTOS: Proof that the weather can be beautiful
Photo: National Weather Service
Showers and thunderstorms are expected for the Houston area this afternoon. They are expected to last through Saturday morning.
>>PHOTOS: Proof that the weather can be beautiful
Showers and thunderstorms are expected for the Houston area this afternoon. They are expected to last through Saturday morning.
>>PHOTOS: Proof that the weather can be beautiful
Photo: National Weather Service
As severe storms push through the Houston area, there has been at least one confirmed tornado west of the city, authorities say.
A confirmed tornado touched down near Eagle Lake, just south of Columbus, shortly after 12:30 p.m., according to Jeff Lindner, meteorologist with the Harris County Flood Control District.
The community has been under a tornado warning since shortly before 12:30 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
Other Houston-area communities are or have been under tornado warnings, including Waller. The severe weather and heavy winds come as parts of the Houston area could see up to 4 inches of rainfall from storms this afternoon, according to NWS.
TWISTER DAMAGE: Tornadoes reported near Central Texas town
The Houston area can experience wind gusts as high as 20 mph, the weather service said. The storms are expected to continue through Saturday morning, dropping an average of 1 to 2 inches of rainfall.
Strong winds, hail and heavy rainfall are the primary threats. Isolated tornadoes are also possible.
Things are expected to clear up after 1 p.m. Saturday. The forecast shows mostly sunny weather on Sunday with a high of 88 degrees.
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Julian Gill is a digital reporter in Houston. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | julian.gill@chron.com | NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here.