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Quick forecast update....it's another dusty one out there, we've had most locations report gusts 40 to 45mph with some 50+ gusts over the past few hours. This strong west wind is helping to warm things up ahead of the cold front that'll move through here later today. In fact, through 11:05 it's already warmed to our forecast high of 72 in Lubbock. It now looks like we'll have mid to upper 70s around Lubbock with 80s south of the city.
The cooler air is on the way. Amarillo is in the 50s at late morning, Pampa has dropped to the upper 40s. The gusty W wind will become a gusty N/NE wind by late this afternoon with the temperature falling. It should be in the 50s in Lubbock by 6 p.m. then mid to low 40s by 9 p.m., still breezy.
posted 6:32 a.m.
WINDY TODAY: It's another windy day on the South Plains with some patchy blowing dust possible. In fact, this morning we've already had some gusts topping 40mph at several locations in the area, already 50+ mph gusts at Dimmitt and Floydada.
It'll warm to the lower 70s around Lubbock, wind SW to NW at 20-32mph, gusts 40 to 50mph. We expect it even warmer, upper 70s to low 80s over the southwestern South Plains and Southeast New Mexico. Any time you have a west wind ahead of a front it can quickly warm. Of course, if the front is a few hours faster you can knock a few degrees off the high temp forecast.
A red flag warning is in place for Lubbock and much of the South Plains, Permian Basin and Eastern New Mexico today for the extreme wildfire threat.
It'll be cooler north and east of Lubbock, which is where a front is coming from. Turkey, Silverton, Paducah and Childress will get the push of cooler air with a gusty NE wind first this afternoon...so the high should stay in the 60s in this area. Mid 50s are forecast for the afternoon around Amarillo and the Panhandle.
TONIGHT: It'll be breezy this evening with the temp falling quickly, temp in the mid 40s by 9 p.m., low in the mid to upper 20s. The wind will drop off significantly overnight.
COOL DAY: Friday is pretty much the exception to the pattern over the next week. It'll be the one cooler day with light wind, high in the mid 50s.
WEEKEND: It'll warm some through the weekend. Saturday will be close to the seasonal average in the low 60s, upper 60s return Sunday. Both afternoons will be at least windy. Some of the guidance is suggesting it may be windy (sustained wind around 30mph) on Saturday. At this point it's pretty much semantics debating between breezy to windy over the next few days.
NEXT WEEK: Models had been showing a cooler pattern next week but the past several runs of both the GFS and European models is warming things up some. It should turn a little cooler Wednesday but it looks like 60s are in store Monday and Tuesday.
Also, models are highlighting an upper-level trough over the western United States but right now it looks like that's more of a wind producer for us than rain. It should bring some rain east of here, along I-35.
SEVERE SETUP: Some severe storms are possible today across the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys down into parts of Alabama and Georgia, mainly hail and strong wind being the threats. The Storm Prediction Center has a standard "slight risk" out there.
The risk for severe weather builds east tomorrow into the Georgia coast up to the Carolinas, slight risk for severe weather there.
Severe Weather Awareness WeekToday's tip is a pretty common sense one but important, covering lightning safety. Severe warnings aren't posted based on lightning activity. But lightning can turn deadly. If any thunderstorm is nearby get indoors and stay away from windows. If you can hear lightning you are close enough to be struck by lightning.
It may have seemed like an inconvenience last year when Tech football sat in the lockerroom at both New Mexico and Oklahoma for weather delays. But those stadiums, with tens of thousands of people, aren't safe when lightning is a threat. It's the same concept when playing at the park or working outside, it's best to go indoors when a thunderstorm is nearby.
Also, flooding is a major threat for parts of Texas. While it isn't that great of a risk here in West Texas, our flooding is usually rising water not fast-moving currents, it's best to remember the saying "turn around, don't drown". Two feet of water can be enough to float a car. Even if no one is hurt, those repairs can be quite pricy.
Have a great day! Rudy will have a full update later today online and on FOX 34 News @ Nine.
-Matt
