72 Hours of Crazy Weather, Check Out This East Texas Forecast

The weather in East Texas this weekend is beautiful. We are being treated to plenty of sunshine, temperatures in the 70s and 80s, and no mention of rain. That is, until Sunday afternoon.

A strong late-season cold front is expected to move across the Pineywoods by Sunday evening, triggering scattered storms, some of which could be severe.

Lufkin, Nacogdoches, Tyler, and Longview are included in the 'Slight Risk' yellow-shaded area, while Shreveport, Texarkana, and other areas to the east and north are given an 'Enhanced Risk'.

What Severe Weather Can We Expect?

The Storm Prediction Center indicates that damaging straight-line winds could pose a significant threat from some of these storms. As shown in the map below, winds gusting in excess of 60 mph could occur from Michigan to Texas, but the bull's-eye of that threat lies along the Mississippi River region from Tennessee to northern Louisiana.

Tornadoes are also expected to occur as the strong cold front nears. A sliver of East Texas is included in the green minimal-risk area. However, the hatched region from Michigan to Texas indicates that if tornadoes do happen, they could reach wind speeds up to 135 mph (EF2).

Get Ready for Freezing Temps

The low temperatures on Monday and Tuesday morning will dip into the low 30s across much of East Texas. Wind chill readings early Monday will be in the 20s due to gusty northerly winds. We will have sunshine on Monday, but the high temperatures will only reach near 50. However, a quick turnaround to warmth will occur, and we will be back in the 70s and 80s by mid-week.