Storm potential this evening, hot next several days

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - Once again, some thunderstorms are developing in the area during the late afternoon hours. Different from yesterday, storms are developing a little farther west. At 4 p.m., they are going up along the New Mexico-Texas state line, with better coverage in Bailey and Parmer counties.

Storms will move from southwest to northeast, with overall coverage of storms spreading eastward some this evening. However, the environment won’t be as supportive for storms farther east, toward I-27/U.S. 87, including Plainview, Lubbock and Lamesa. For now, it’s wait-and-see on how far the storms will be able to spread east.

The Storm Prediction Center severe outlook shows a level 2 out of 5 risk in yellow, roughly Amarillo-Lubbock-Lamesa westward into Eastern New Mexico. This doesn’t mean every community in the outlook will get rain and storms. Instead, if a storm develops, it could produce large hail or strong wind. Many locations will miss the rain.

With a lot of heat and enough humidity, there is instability to support some hail and strong wind with storms this evening. The Storm Prediction Center may issue a severe watch soon for parts of the region.

Storms will clear tonight, with another relatively mild night in store. Low Thursday morning near 66.

Thursday will be similar to today, just a bit hotter, high near 95. A few thunderstorms are possible late in the afternoon, though if any form, they should be fairly isolated. Friday the storm chance will trend even lower.

The weekend will be sunny and hot, mid to upper 90s. And at this point next week looks hot, back up around 100 by Wednesday. The typical high for today’s date is 82, showing this is a long stretch of really hot weather.

The 1970 Lubbock Tornado

Steve Diving prepared this information on the Lubbock Tornado. If you missed it earlier today, here it is.

This plot shows the track of the F5 tornado and smaller tornado, along with those of the associated vortices, on 11 May 1970. The plot was created by Dr. Ted Fujita (as in, the Fujita or “F” Tornado Scale).(KCBD First Alert)

Today is the 52 anniversary of the 11 May 1970 F5 Lubbock Tornado. A few facts from that day:

26 people were killed

1,500+ people were injured

430 homes were destroyed

600 apartment units were demolished

250 businesses were damaged or destroyed

8,400 (approx) homes/apartments were damaged

10,000 automobiles were damaged or destroyed

119 aircraft were demolished at the airport

15 sq mi of tornado damage in the city of Lubbock

80% of all plate glass windows in downtown Lubbock were broken (estimate)

The tornado resulted in Lubbock receiving one of the very first (new at the time) Doppler Weather Radars. The extensive study of the tornado and damage contributed to the development of the Fujita Tornado Damage Scale (F-scale) by Dr. Tetsuya Theodore (Ted) Fujita. The tornado prompted the establishment of the Wind Science and Engineering (WISE) Research Center at Texas Tech University.

The NWS Lubbock has much more about the tornado and events that day here: https://www.weather.gov/lub/events-1970-19700511

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