DALLAS – A multiday severe weather and flash flood threat continues on Tuesday, with millions of people across Texas and Louisiana bracing for storms that could produce baseball-sized hail, strong tornadoes and potentially life-threatening flooding.

The risk comes as search and rescue crews continue to look for a 10-year-old girl who was swept away by floodwaters, and as first responders raced to extinguish a fire after a home was struck by lightning.

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The severe weather threat continued overnight and into early Tuesday morning, with Severe Thunderstorm Warnings and Tornado Warnings issued in portions of Texas.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch was also issued in Texas on Tuesday morning, and a Tornado Watch that had been in effect has since expired.

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Forecasters with NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC) believe the highest risk of severe weather on Tuesday will be found across a large swath of Texas and Louisiana.

Tens of millions of people have been placed in a Level 2 risk of severe weather on the SPC’s 5-point severe thunderstorm risk scale.

This threat zone includes cities such as Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin and Arlington in Texas.

A Level 3 out of 5 risk includes nearly 4 million people in cities like Beaumont, College Station, The Woodlands, Bryan and Temple.

Very large hail, strong tornadoes (EF-2 or higher) and damaging wind gusts are all possible within any storms that ignite on Tuesday. 

Be sure to download the free FOX Weather app and enable notifications to be alerted to any watches or warnings issued in your area.

Potentially life-threatening flash flooding eyes Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi

Flooding is also a concern on Tuesday as powerful storms move across the southern Plains and along the Gulf Coast, putting millions on alert for potentially life-threatening flash flooding.

The highest flash flood threat will start by midday on Tuesday across portions of East Texas and Louisiana.

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Storms will continue to pummel the area overnight across Louisiana and along the Gulf Coast into Mississippi. The strongest storms and heaviest rain are expected along the Gulf Coast by Wednesday morning, eventually extending into the Florida Panhandle.

Flash flooding is possible from the southern Plains to the Southeast on Tuesday. However, NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center placed portions of East Texas, most of Louisiana, southern Arkansas and southern Mississippi in a Level 3 out of 4 threat.

This includes cities like Shreveport, Alexandria, Baton Rouge and New Orleans in Louisiana and Jackson in Mississippi.

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Cities and towns from the southern Plains to the Southeast are expected to pick up a few inches of rain. However, the highest totals will be found from East Texas through Louisiana and into southern Mississippi and Alabama.

Southern Louisiana and southern Mississippi could see 5-8 inches of rain with some locally higher amounts.