The National Weather Service has upgraded the Severe Thunderstorm Watch from this morning to a Tornado Watch for the entire Rio Grande Valley.

The Tornado Watch is expected to remain in effect until 8 p.m. Thursday. 

A powerful storm system moving across West Texas, in combination with various upper level dynamics, instability, and good moisture, will provide increasing chances for severe storms through this evening and overnight. 

Already this morning, severe weather has encompassed a large portion of the Big Bend of the state and along the Rio Grande River into central Texas. 

A few of these storms have seen Tornado Warnings accompany them with rotation detected on radar, in addition to hail, heavy rain, and peak winds exceeding 60 mph. 

Rains are expected to start in the Valley some time after 1 p.m. Thursday.

Action 4 News will monitors these storms as they head to the Valley within the next few hours.