A tornado touched down in northwest Texas Friday evening, beginning a busy weekend of severe weather that is forecast across Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and eventually the Mississippi Valley.

A tornado watch remains in effect for this part of Texas until 9 p.m. CT Friday.

Following a nice stretch of warmth, a strong storm system will barrel towards the Central U.S. into this weekend. There is a risk for severe weather and flooding now through Sunday in parts of the central and southern Plains.  Large hail and damaging wind gusts will be the primary threats, but tornadoes will be possible as the set-up aloft will provide wind shear and spin potential in the lower levels of the atmosphere. With several days of precipitation ahead, flooding will be possible due to persistent rainfall.

Hail will be the primary threat Friday in western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle. Storms will initiate in the late afternoon, with increasing chances for isolated to scattered severe storms through the evening hours as the upper low approaches. A few storms may have enough energy to produce 60 mph wind gusts. Isolated tornadoes are possible, with the threat mainly in the Texas Panhandle.

The severe weather risk continues into the weekend as the upper low organizes and moves across the Plains. The severe weather risk is increasing for Saturday afternoon and evening for far western Oklahoma and the eastern Texas Panhandle where there is an enhanced risk (level 3 out of 5).  A squall line will develop Saturday with strong wind gusts, large hail and possibly a few tornadoes. Isolated to scattered severe storms are likely in the  surrounding slight risk in yellow (level 2 out of 5). This line of strong to severe storms will race east through the evening and overnight hours.

As the intense line of storms moves eastward Sunday, the severe thunderstorm threat will remain. Once again, strong wind gusts and isolated tornadoes are the main concerns.

There is also the potential for flooding. Several rounds of rain may fall over similar areas, over-saturating the soil. With rivers and creeks high, this may produce high water and flooding.

Heavy rainfall is in the forecast with up to 5″ possible by this weekend. The excessive rainfall outlooks are focused on the central Plains through this weekend.

A strong jet stream, in both the middle and upper levels of the atmosphere, will fuel severe thunderstorm development.

As humidity climbs from a rich, southerly wind flow from the Gulf of Mexico, heavy rainfall is likely with the potential for flooding.

Stay with WeatherNation for all the latest on the risk for severe storms and flooding over the Central and Southern Plains later this week.