LUBBOCK, Texas (KLBK) – Here is your updated forecast from the KLBK First Warning Weather Center:
A weakening area of high pressure continues to sit west of our region over the Four Corners area. The flow around the high is out of the northwest across the South Plains and Rolling Plains. Showers and thunderstorms that develop over New Mexico, Colorado and the Texas Panhandle will drop southeasterly this evening. What’s left of these storms could move into the South Plains and Rolling Plains overnight and into early Thursday morning. Otherwise, expect mostly clear to partly cloudy conditions this evening and overnight.
You can track the showers and thunderstorms anytime with our KLBK & EverythingLubbock.com Interactive Radar.
We’ll start off mostly sunny on Thursday, but we’ll see clouds return by the afternoon. High-resolution models show isolated showers and thunderstorms developing in the later afternoon and lingering into the evening hours.
Extended Forecast:
There is a slight chance for thunderstorms from late afternoon and into the evening across the South Plains and the Rolling Plains Thursday and Friday. I’ll keep the mention of an isolated storms in the late afternoon and evening hours Saturday and Sunday. High pressure will start to build back eastward over our the region this weekend. This will start decreasing rain chances and return hot weather to the area. The European (ECMWF) and Canadian (GEM) forecast models show a dry pattern early next week. The American model (GFS) tries to break out an isolated storm or two Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday during the late afternoon and early evening hours. For now, I will keep the forecast dry during that period.
Highs will be in the middle 90s on Thursday, with middle to upper 90s expected by Friday. It will be hotter on Saturday, Sunday and Monday with upper 90s and low 100s expected. We’ll slip back into the middle 90s by Tuesday and next Wednesday.
Overnight lows will be in the upper 60s to lower 70s Thursday morning. Morning lows climb back into the lower 70s for Friday and Saturday. Middle 70s return for Sunday and Monday morning, before we drop back into the lower 70s by Tuesday and Wednesday.
Drought Update:
Last Thursday’s update of the U.S. Drought Monitor shows drought conditions expanding and worsening across the South Plains and the Rolling Plains. Severe and moderate stage drought conditions are now being reported across sporadic locations across the South Plains and Rolling Plains. Other areas are reporting “abnormally dry” conditions. The western areas of the South Plains remain drought-free, for now, thanks to recent rainfall events. A new update of the U.S. Drought Monitor will be released Thursday morning.
Lubbock Climate Data for Thursday, August 15:
Sunrise: 7:09 a.m.
Sunset: 8:34 p.m.
Normal High: 92°
Normal Low: 67°
Record High: 103° (1982)
Record Low: 56° (1920)
Your KLBK First Warning Forecast:
Tonight: Mostly clear to partly cloudy. An isolated storm is possible overnight, mainly across the northern half of the South Plains and Rolling Plains. Lows in the upper 60s to lower 70s. East-southeast wind 5-15 mph.
Thursday: Mostly sunny in the morning, then becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon. A 20-percent chance for thunderstorms in the late afternoon. Highs in the middle 90s. Southwest wind in the morning with shift southerly in the afternoon 5-10 mph.
Thursday Night: A 20-percent chance for thunderstorms in the evening and overnight. Otherwise partly to mostly cloudy. Lows in the lower 70s.
Thursday: Mostly sunny in the morning, then becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon. A 20-percent chance for thunderstorms in the late afternoon. Highs in the middle to upper 90s. South-southwest wind 10-15 mph.
Meteorologist Chris Whited
KLBK First Warning Weather
cwhited@klbk13.tv
Facebook: Meteorologist Chris Whited
Twitter: @severewxchaser