A severe weather threat is sweeping across the South with an expected three-day stretch of excessive rainfall and damaging winds possible.

Flooding downpours, hail, damaging wind gusts and isolated tornadoes are possible from Houston to Shreveport.

The National Weather Service’s Lake Charles office said the first set of storms is set to arrive this afternoon and could last into early Friday morning.

A tornado watch has been issued for southeast Texas until 7 p.m., said storm warning coordinator Doug Cramer.

There is a 15-29 percent chance of damaging winds and large hail, he said.

The showers and storms may produce intense local rainfall over short durations, potentially causing localized flash flooding.

“Chances favor more robust thunderstorms over southeast Texas and western Louisiana,” Cramer said. “The storms will become weaker as they move into south central and southeast Louisiana.”

A second round of thunderstorm risk is expected Friday afternoon with damaging winds and a hail threat in the forecast.

A third round of storms expected Saturday morning will have the potential to be severe well through the evening hours. All types of severe conditions are possible.

The rainfall amounts are expected to be from 1 to 3 inches through Saturday evening.

“Pockets of 6 inches can not be ruled out in areas that receive repeated or training thunderstorms,” Cramer said.