By james art Lubbock and the Southern Plains are likely to see some rain and strong storms starting late Saturday afternoon and continuing into Sunday.
The western and central Southern Plains, including Lubbock, and all of eastern New Mexico can expect a “slight” risk of severe weather, or a level 2 out of 5 chance, according to the latest convective forecast from the National Weather Service.
Rain chances are greater than 70 percent in the far northwestern Southern Plains and 50-60 percent in Lubbock, the National Weather Service predicted. Chance of rain increases to 80% overnight in Lubbock. Thunderstorms are expected to begin developing across the region between 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM, affecting Lubbock between 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM
The NWS expects heavy rain, hail and wind with Saturday’s storms.
Locally heavy rainfall may lead to flooding,” the forecast reads. “Hail up to golf ball size, winds gusting to 70 mph and a tornado or two will be possible.”
Shortly after 3:30 p.m. Saturday, the weather service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for much of the Panhandle, Southern Plains and eastern New Mexico — including Lubbock and Amarillo — until 11 p.m.
Cold front, more storms coming Sunday towards Lubbock, Southern Plains
A cold front will move through the area on Sunday, bringing with it cooler temperatures, more rain and additional thunderstorms, the NWS predicts, mainly in the eastern half of the Southern Plains.
“Scattered to scattered showers and thunderstorms are likely to resume Sunday morning along a cold front,” the forecast reads. “The greatest potential for heavy rain along with a few strong to severe thunderstorms is expected along and east of the (Interstate 27) corridor.”
Lubbock has a 60% chance of rain, most likely before 1 PM Sunday. The chance of rain is up to 80% east of the Hub City.
This article originally appeared in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Lubbock Weather: Rain possible, strong storms possible Saturday