The letter

• Strong to severe thunderstorms will begin around 10:30 a.m. but are expected to move over Houston around midday.

• The thunderstorms come before the arctic cold front sweeps across the area.

• Temperatures on Monday will feel like they are in the teens and 20s.

Tornado watch

HOUSTON – The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning until 6 p.m. for the following counties:

Angelina, Cherokee, Hardin, Harrison, Houston, Jasper, Liberty, Marion, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Newton, Panola, Polk, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Trinity, Tyler, Walker.

Winter weather

We are monitoring a winter storm that will move across 25 states in the next day or so. A low pressure area and trailing front will bring the potential for a few strong to severe storms to southeast Texas today.

The line of storms will move into the northwest visibility area as early as 10:30 or 11 a.m. but is expected to move through Houston around midday.

Intermittent thunderstorms are possible later this afternoon. There will be heavy rain, lightning and strong gusts of wind. There is a possibility of a single tornado.

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Once the front rolls through, temperatures will drop quickly, starting with today’s highs of 70 and reaching 40 by 11 p.m

When you wake up Monday morning, temperatures will be in the high 20s from Huntsville to Tomball, Columbus and Cold Spring. It will be almost freezing cold in Houston.

RELATED: Preparing for the cold weather: Always remember the 4 Ps

Winds will arise and it will be stormy. There will be sustained winds of 15 to 20 miles per hour, but gusts can reach up to 30 miles per hour. With the winds it will feel like temperatures are in the 10 to 20 degree range.

A frost warning is in effect from midnight tonight until 9 a.m. Monday. A cold weather warning has been issued from midnight tonight until 11am Monday.

Make sure you dress in layers, bring your pets inside, and cover any sensitive plants. Next week you can expect highs in the 40s and lows near freezing. The chance of winter precipitation is very low, but we are watching the situation develop towards the end of the week as a coastal low approaches.

Download the free FOX LOCAL app to stay on top of the latest weather updates as an arctic blast moves across southeast Texas.