A cold front pushing into the Houston area on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, could bring heavy rain, strong winds and hail during polling hours.

The National Weather Service office in Houston/Galveston is forecasting scattered to widespread showers and thunderstorms as the front moves through. The agency placed Southeast Texas under a Marginal Risk for severe weather, level 1 of 5, and a Marginal Risk for excessive rainfall, level 1 of 4, according to its forecast for Tuesday.

The greatest risk of severe weather and heavy rain falls generally east of Interstate 45, the NWS said. Spring straddles I-45, so parts of the community could see higher storm activity.

Forecast models show the front is likely to reach the northern Houston metro area by 9 a.m. Tuesday, the Houston Chronicle reported. The best rain chances fall between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., with about an 80 percent chance of rain across Houston. Rainfall totals of 0.5 to 1.25 inches are projected across the metro area, with locally higher amounts possible, according to the National Blend of Models cited by the Chronicle.

Slow-moving downpours could leave water standing on roads and in low-lying areas, the Chronicle also reported.

Fox 26 Houston's weather team recommended voters head to the polls early. The heaviest rain is expected to begin late morning and continue through the evening hours.

What voters should know

Harris County registered voters can cast a ballot at any polling location in the county on Election Day. The county's interactive polling-place map lets voters search by ZIP code or address and check wait times.

Texas law requires voters to present an acceptable photo ID. Accepted forms include:

  • Texas driver license
  • Texas Election Identification Certificate
  • Texas personal identification card
  • Texas handgun license
  • U.S. military ID with a photo
  • U.S. citizenship certificate with a photo
  • U.S. passport (book or card)

Behind the front, cooler air settles in. Highs are expected to drop into the 70s by Wednesday, Nov. 4, with morning lows dipping into the 50s through the start of the weekend.

Voters with questions or problems at the polls can call the Texas Secretary of State's toll-free election hotline at 1-800-252-VOTE (8683) or email [email protected].