The National Weather Service in Lubbock on Monday called for a high wind watch starting Tuesday afternoon and continuing through Tuesday evening.
KAMC Storm Team Chief Meteorologist Ron Roberts said, “Initially it’s going to create wind gusts up to 40 [or] 45 miles per hour.”
Blowing dust, low visibility and fire danger were forecast for Tuesday afternoon.
“Our drought conditions have tripled since February,” Roberts said despite total yearly rainfall being above normal.
“Humidity values will drop near or below 20 percent,” Roberts said.
Previously there had been some thought of snow for Lubbock, but, “That has gone away now.”
Roberts said, “This week in the Texas Panhandle, Dalhart is going to get about six inches of snow, and Amarillo two [inches]. We’re just going to miss that [in Lubbock].”
“A cold front will move through behind it,” Roberts said. “The thing that might save us from a hard freeze – some of the models are showing 29 degrees for Wednesday morning – however, the winds speeds are staying up.”
“There could still be some localized freeze,” he said.
Roberts warned vineyards to keep the plants warm Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
“By the weekend, we’re near 90 degrees. So, we go from one extreme to the other.”
And then, another major storm system will head toward West Texas next week.
