Lake Charles, Louisiana - A severe weather threat is expected to develop Wednesday afternoon and evening across Southwest Louisiana, with the Lake Charles area facing the greatest concern between 2 p.m. and 9 p.m., according to the National Weather Service in Lake Charles.

Forecasters said a line of storms is expected to move into interior Southeast Texas during the afternoon, then track east across western and central parts of Louisiana before exiting Acadiana in the early morning hours Thursday. For the broader region, the main window for severe weather is expected from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday.

The National Weather Service has placed Lake Charles and much of Southwest Louisiana under a slight risk, or level 2 out of 5, for severe thunderstorms. While that is not the highest category, it signals that scattered severe storms are possible.

The main hazards include damaging wind gusts, tornadoes and hail.

For areas within 25 miles of Lake Charles, the weather service listed a 15% to 29% chance of damaging wind gusts, a 5% to 9% chance of tornadoes, and a 5% to 14% chance of large hail. Forecasters said wind gusts could reach about 60 mph, while the largest hail is expected to be around quarter-size.

In its outlook, the National Weather Service said severe thunderstorms are favored to develop over Southeast Texas and western Louisiana from late afternoon into early evening. Those storms are then expected to continue eastward through much of Louisiana during the middle and later evening hours.

That setup means communities across Southwest Louisiana, including Lake Charles and nearby areas, could see changing weather conditions over a relatively short period. A storm line, sometimes called a squall line, is a narrow band of strong thunderstorms that can produce damaging winds and brief tornadoes.

The weather service said all modes of severe weather are possible Wednesday. In forecast terms, that means tornadoes, hail and strong straight-line winds could all occur with the same system.

Residents are being urged to monitor updated forecasts throughout the day Wednesday and into the evening. Forecasters also recommend having multiple ways to receive warnings, such as weather alerts on a mobile phone, local media updates, or a NOAA weather radio. A severe weather safety plan should also be reviewed in advance.

Because severe weather timing can shift by a few hours, forecast updates may refine when storms are expected to reach specific communities. The most current information is expected from the National Weather Service in Lake Charles as Wednesday’s event approaches.