Heavy rain, damaging winds expected Saturday

Published 4:52 pm Friday, December 11, 2015

The first rainfall of December is expected to make a dramatic entrance this weekend.

According to the National Weather Service’s forecast models, Smith County could see at least 4 inches of rain, with the threat of tornadoes  and tropical storm force winds possible as well.

The rain is expected to hit by early Saturday afternoon and continue through early Sunday evening.

“We’re going to have a long line of thunderstorms roll through here,” NWS forecaster Aaron Stevens said. “The wind threat is going to be there — 60 mile per hour winds will not be out of the question for some of these thunderstorms.”

Stevens recommends residents put up lawn furniture and take down patio umbrellas to reduce the risk of objects breaking windows during the high winds expected this weekend.

Stevens said East Texas will see more rain beginning as early Tuesday.

Temperatures are not expected to drop significantly until later in the week.

Tyler saw 7.98 inches of rain in November, with the greatest period of downpour coming Nov. 2, which logged 1.45 inches. The month of November saw rainfalls 3.88 inches higher than normal.

Year to date, Tyler is at 58.28 inches of rain, which is 15.44 inches more than normal and 25.39 inches more than the same time period in 2014.

Twitter: @TMT_Cory