Eastern Texas, Oklahoma panhandles brace for severe weather

This afternoon is looking interesting, but not impressive, if you are a storm chaser. As an area of low pressure pushes into the four corners region it will help offer some lift our ahead of it. That means the chance for showers and storms in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.

The question will be how developed can these storms become. And how fast.

8z RAP Skew-T at 21z 5/8/13
8z RAP Skew-T for Amarillo (West of dry-line) at 21z 5/8/13

For places east of a line from Garden City, Kansas south to Turpin, Oklahoma and continuing to Paducah, Texas there is a chance for some afternoon showers and thunderstorms. Some of these storms could become severe.

The main threats for today are large hail and damaging winds. In fact hail stones in excess of two-inches (think egg-sized) could be seen across parts of western Oklahoma.

But that’s not all, we also have to worry about a tornado threat this afternoon. While the SPC has issued a 5-percent tornado risk, I feel like that might be edged back to just a 2-percent as we head toward the afternoon.

But even at 2-percent, I think a tornado will be seen somewhere today.



Author of the article:


Nick Lilja

Nick is former television meteorologist with stints in Amarillo and Hattiesburg. During his time in Hattiesburg, he was also an adjunct professor at the University of Southern Mississippi. He is a graduate of both Oregon State and Syracuse University that now calls Houston home. Now that he is retired from TV, he maintains this blog in his spare time.