LUBBOCK, Texas — KLBK Chief Meteorologist Jacob Riley has your Monday morning weather update.
Today: Clearing sky. High of 58°. Winds N 10-15 MPH.
Tonight: Clear and cold. Low of 25°. Winds N 8-12 MPH.
Tomorrow: Clouds increase late. High of 47°. Winds N→SE 12-18 MPH.
We will kick off the work-week on a pleasant note across the South Plains. High temperatures are on track to peak in the mid 50s to lower 60s under a sunny sky this afternoon. Winds will be out of the north around 10-15 MPH, with the occasional gust around 20 MPH expected. Tonight into tomorrow morning will be chilly, as lows settle anywhere from the upper 10s to lower 30s under a clear sky with calm winds.
Tuesday will be cooler across the region behind a weak cold front. Temperatures will climb into the mid 40s to lower 50s under an increasingly cloudy sky. Winds will shift from the north to the southeast throughout the day, with gusts as high as 25-30 MPH expected. We’ll keep the clouds around Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, resulting in temperatures being a few degrees warmer. By sunrise on Wednesday, we will bottom out in the low 20s to mid 30s.
Wednesday will be another below average day across eastern New Mexico and western Texas, with highs ranging in the 40s to low 50s. We will keep a partly to mostly cloudy sky around, with stronger winds out of the south-southwest around 15-20 MPH. Gusts upwards of 40 MPH are likely. Late Wednesday night into Thursday morning is when our next strong storm system is expected to arrive in the South Plains. Low temperatures will bottom out in the 10s to lower 20s by sunrise on Thursday.
Extended Forecast:
A Weather Aware Day has been issued for Thursday, December 22nd, 2022 and Friday, December 23rd, 2022. A strong arctic air mass will settle into the South Plains, providing us with upwards of 80 hours of continuous sub-freezing temperatures.
High temperatures on Thursday will occur before sunrise, with temperatures plummeting throughout the day. Highs will be in the 30s, with daytime temperatures struggling to warm back into the mid and upper 20s around the KLBK viewing area. Winds will be out of the north, gusting upwards of 40-50 MPH. A stray snow shower or two will be possible over northeastern areas, with no accumulation expected. Throughout the day, winds will begin to subside. However, these strong winds will bring our feel like temperatures down to nearly 20-30 degrees below 0! These types of wind chill values are dangerously low, and could result in frostbite in as little as 15-20 minutes! Thursday night into Friday morning will be the coldest night that we’ve seen around the area since last winter. Some areas will see low temperatures below 0 across the southern Panhandle. Most of us will bottom out in the lower single digits to lower 10s.
Bring in any pets or plants that are sensitive to the colder temperatures. Make sure all outdoor pipes are properly insulated and water faucets are shut off. Leave cabinet doors open inside of your home if they have water pipes in them that are also on an exterior wall of your home. Lastly, check on your people! Make sure your neighbors and loved ones have an adequate source of heat, and are able to keep warm!
Highs on Friday will remain below freezing, peaking in the 20s to low 30s. Wind chill value will remain in the 10s, with winds eventually becoming calmer in the evening and overnight hours. We will see a partly cloudy to mostly sunny sky around the region. Overnight lows into Saturday morning will remain well below freezing. Temps in the single digits to upper 10s are expected.
A few stray snow showers will be possible over the northern South Plains and Texas Panhandle on Saturday, with no accumulation expected at this time. The northern half of our area will remain below freezing for our Christmas Eve, with areas south of the Highway 62/82 corridor warming into the mid 30s to low 40s. Another cold night is expected Saturday night into Sunday morning. Santa will certainly need his coat as he makes deliveries around the South Plains! It’s a good thing he’s been conditioned to the cold at the North Pole. Highs on Christmas Day will warm into the 40s, with more sunshine around the region.
Valid: December 19th, 2022
Lubbock Climate Data for Monday, December 19th:
Sunrise: 7:47 AM CDT
Sunset: 5:42 PM CDT
Average High: 54°
Record High: 76° (1921)
Average Low: 28°
Record Low: 0° (1924)
Have a magnificent Monday, South Plains!
-Jacob
Facebook: Chief Meteorologist Jacob Riley
Twitter: @jrileywx
