Golf-Ball-Sized Hail Possible For Texas Hill Country

AUSTIN, TEXAS — If you're thinking of heading out to the Texas Hill Country to snap pics of the kids among bluebonnet fields or for a weekend road trip, you might reconsider: The region could experience heavy storms overnight on Friday, with hail "possibly in excess of golf ball size," according to forecasters.

The National Weather Service says an upper-level disturbance sweeping across Central Texas will bring scattered thunderstorms to the region at around midnight. "Some of these storms could become severe overnight, producing very large hail, damaging straight-line winds and isolated tornado or two," meteorologists wrote in their online forecast.

Overnight, severe storms are possible across the northwest portion of the Hill Country extending into the Rio Grande, where an isolated threat of a tornado is being forecast. Meteorologists add that winds could reach up to 60 miles per hour.

Back in Austin, a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms is possible mainly after 1 a.m. overnight. There will be increasing clouds, with a low around 64 Friday night, with east wind at 5 to 10 miles per hour. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms, forecasters said.

A lingering chance of showers and thunderstorms remain by Saturday, mainly before 1 p.m with a high near 79. East southeast wind will be light between 5 to 10 miles per hour, fortified in a westerly direction between 15 to 20 miles per hour in the afternoon, forecasters said, adding that winds could gust as high as 25 miles per hour.

The chances of precipitation for Austin on Saturday is 80 percent, forecasters report. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch are possible, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Saturday night should be mostly clear, with a low around 47 degrees. Northwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 miles per hour.

Your Sunday fun day is all but ensured, with a high on that day expected to be near 72. North-northwest wind will be 10 to 15 miles per hour, with gusts as high as 25 miles per hour. Sunday night is expected to be clear, with a low around 51. West-northwest wind will blow gently at a nearly imperceptible 5 miles per hour, becoming southeast in the evening.

We've said it before, but it's worth repeating: Keep that umbrella handy. Oh, and have a wonderful weekend!