Will Dallas be affected by Hurricane Harvey for Raiders vs Cowboys Saturday?

Hurricane Harvey has hit the Texas coast line and has been upgraded to a category 3 hurricane. Residents are being evacuated from the areas of southeast Texas that are in the path of the hurricane while surrounding areas are preparing to accept evacuees.

Meanwhile, the Raiders hopped their flight today headed for Texas to face the Dallas Cowboys. Many are wondering how the hurricane might affect the weather in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and if it’s safe and/or wise to be there.

The answer to the last part of the question is yes. As of now, it has been deemed safe.

The answer to the first part of the question -- how the hurricane might affect Dallas — it’s more complicated.

The nearest flash flood watch from the National Weather Service has been issued for areas a couple hours south of Dallas and the hurricane path will travel up the coast to the east of Dallas.

As for the affects on the DFW area, the Dallas Morning News which said:

Harvey could bring scattered rain -- with some periods of heavy rainfall -- to Dallas-Fort Worth from Saturday through mid-next week, said Patricia Sanchez, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Fort Worth.

North Texas is expected to have highs in the 80s and a nice breeze over the weekend, thanks to the cloud cover accompanying Harvey.

But the rain forecast could change, Sanchez said, depending on how quickly the storm moves through the state and the path it takes.

Weather isn’t the only way the hurricane can affect the Dallas area, however.

Houston and San Antonio are both much more in danger.

Dallas is the closest major city to be considered outside the hurricane stricken area which means there are expected to be an influx of southeastern Texas residents into north Texas who have either been evacuated or are seeking aid.

I guess, if you’re a Raiders fan in southeastern Texas, maybe this would be a pretty good time to catch a preseason game.