Severe weather threat increasing Friday night into Saturday morning; large hail, strong winds

AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Parts of the Austin area could see strong to severe storms move through Friday evening into Saturday morning.

The Storm Prediction Center has placed much of the Austin metro - nearly all of Travis County, all of Hays County, and parts of Williamson, Bastrop, and Caldwell Counties - under a slight risk, or a 2 out of 5, for severe storms. The rest of the metro remains under a marginal risk, or a 1 out of 5.

Large hail is expected to be the primary threat, but strong winds and an isolated tornado can't be ruled out. Isolated flash flooding is also a concern, especially in areas where the ground is still saturated from last week's heavy rains.

Timing of the storms could begin as early as this evening, with the biggest threat expected between 7 p.m. Friday and 4 a.m. Saturday.

Showers and storms will clear the area by Saturday morning, leaving behind breezy conditions Saturday afternoon into Sunday. Wind gusts could reach as high as 40mph Sunday afternoon, which may prompt wind advisories for the area.