LUBBOCK, Texas — KLBK Chief Meteorologist Jacob Riley has your Thursday evening weather update for March 16th, 2023.
Tonight: Blustery. Mostly cloudy. Low of 27°. Winds NE 18-22 MPH, gusts ~ 35-40 MPH.
Tomorrow: Partly cloudy. Colder temperatures. High of 51°. Winds NE→ESE 12-18 MPH.
Much colder air has filtered into the region after a strong cold front moved through earlier today. Below average temperatures will occur tonight, with most areas along and north of the Highway 62/82 corridor falling below freezing. Lows will bottom out anywhere from the mid 20s over northern areas, with southern areas seeing lows in the mid 30s by sunrise on Friday. Be sure to turn off any automated yard sprinklers, and bring in any pets or plants sensitive to the freezing temperatures! Winds will remain breezy at times, resulting in wind chill values in the mid 10s to mid 20s.
St. Patrick’s Day is trending just a few degrees warmer across the forecast area! If we warm into the 50s in Lubbock, it will prevent us from achieving the coldest St. Patrick’s Day in 35 years. The current forecast calls for a high of 51 degrees in the Hub City, with highs region-wide climbing into the mid 40s to mid 50s. We will see a partly to mostly cloudy sky around the region, with winds shifting from the northeast to the east-southeast around 12-18 MPH. Friday night into Saturday morning will be cold, with lows once again falling below freezing for most.
Our cool and cloudy trend will continue on Saturday. Highs will peak in the 40s and 50s under a mostly cloudy sky. Winds will be out of the east around 12-18 MPH. Saturday night into Sunday morning will be cloudy and cold, with temperatures dipping into the mid 20s to upper 30s.
Sunday will feature a light wintry mix in eastern New Mexico. A few flurries could make it over the state line into Texas, but most of our Texas counties look to remain dry. Our low pressure system will track across northern Mexico and southern Texas, which will result in the KLBK viewing area remaining mostly, if not completely dry. Highs will range from the low 40s over western areas, with the rest of the KLBK viewing area warming into the upper 40s and upper 50s. Winds will shift to the south-southeast around 12-18 MPH. Sunday night into Monday morning will be cold yet again, with areas along and north of the Highway 62/82 corridor falling below freezing.
Extended Forecast:
We will keep below average temperatures in the forecast for the first day of Spring 2023 on Monday, with highs in the 40s and 50s expected. Our Vernal Equinox officially occurs at 4:24 PM CDT Monday afternoon, launching us into the new season. More spring-like temps arrive on Tuesday, as do stronger winds and blowing dust. Highs will vary from the low 60s to the mid 80s Tuesday through Thursday of next week, as winds gust upwards of 40-50 MPH. Blowing dust will be possible, potentially reducing visibility at times. You can always stay up to date with the latest information on Facebook, Twitter, our website at everythinglubbock.com/klbk-weather/, and in the First Warning Weather App.
Valid: March 16th, 2023
Lubbock Climate Data for Thursday, March 16th:
Sunrise: 7:57 AM CDT
Sunset: 7:56 PM CDT
Average High: 68°
Record High: 87° (1966 & 2017)
Average Low: 38°
Record Low: 16° (1923)
Have a phenomenal Friday, South Plains!
-Jacob
Facebook: Chief Meteorologist Jacob Riley
Twitter: @jrileywx
