Although Christmas is heading into the rearview mirror, Mother Nature has one more gift up her sleeve for storm enthusiasts in 2024. Severe thunderstorms capable of producing strong winds, large hail and possibly even a few tornadoes are on the menu tonight.

This storm threat is due to a developing low pressure system in the central Plains. Warm and humid air moving from the Gulf of Mexico will interact with colder and drier air behind a cold front in the Rockies and colder air in the Rockies. The result has been a line of strong to severe thunderstorms developing in east-central Texas earlier this afternoon which have now pushed into the Ark-La-Tex tonight.

An Slight Risk for severe thunderstorms is in place across far eastern Texas to southern Arkansas and most of Louisiana. This includes the Port Arthur, Texas, Shreveport and Alexandria, La., and El Dorado, Ark.

All modes of severe weather will be possible within any thunderstorms that develop across parts of the southern Plains into the Lower Mississippi. The main concern would be damaging wind gusts of 60 to 70 mph and a few tornadoes. Some of the tornadoes could even be strong in isolated areas. Large hail to the size of ping pongs or even golf balls will also be possible.

A Tornado Watch remains issued for portions of southern and central Lousiana, including Lake Charles, Ft., and Alexandria, La.

Although severe weather isn’t typical during the holiday season, it isn’t particularly rare either. Late on Christmas Eve, this same area saw baseball sized hail in Muldoon, Texas, with Victoria picking up winds of 58 mph.

Post-Christmas Storms Take Aim at South-Central U.S.